Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice says his side are looking forward to renewing rivalries with Cork on Sunday in the McGrath Cup, having missed out on a meeting with the Rebels last summer.

The Leesiders were shocked in the Munster SFC semi-finals by Tipperary last June, before being toppled by Fitzmaurice's men in the decider for the Kingdom to collect their 78th provincial title.

Sunday's game in Mallow will see a first meeting between the old rivals since Kerry's league victory in Tralee back in March.

"Any time you play Cork it's a big game and there is a kind of freshness to that challenge because of the fact we didn't meet them last summer," Fitzmaurice told the Irish Examiner.

"I'd imagine they are going to be very keen to get off to a good start this year. If you could get into a McGrath Cup final it would be great because it would be another game in the build-up to the league. I am more comfortable with our lead into the league this year.

"Last year, we had our first training session on January 14 so it was very late and it told against Dublin and Roscommon. We should be in better stead going up to Donegal."

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