Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice is confident that the Munster SFC final replay will benefit them as they prepare to face Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final.

The Kingdom were fortunate to get a draw against the Rebels first time out, but made no mistake in the replay a fortnight later.

Following their demolition of Kildare in the quarterfinal, Kerry now face old rivals Tyrone in the last four.

Speaking to the Kerry GAA website, Fitzmaurice feels that the extra game will help them as they prepare to continue the defence of their title.

"I think it was a huge factor (the replay) because in other years in July what we've done is a week of county championship where the lads are gone from us," said Fitzmaurice.

"We come in the Tuesday after the Munster final, the lads are gone then until the following Tuesday because they're playing county championship. Going in to some of those quarterfinals we didn't have a huge pile of football played and we mightn't have been as sharp as we should have been so definitely I think this year, the second game against Cork brought us on massively.

"We needed it to get us to where we were and I think it definitely helped us then in Croke Park in the quarter final."

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