As he prepares his side to face Kerry, Lancashire manager Liam Coyne is every bit as passionate as any intercounty manager back home.

The Exiles entertain the Kingdom in Manchester this weekend, bidding to qualify for the 2016 All-Ireland JFC final, and it's a huge occasion for Coyne and his players.

Liam took over as manager in December and has steered the team to an All Britain crown at the first attempt, having represented the county team for eight years, winning the four-n-a-row from 2010 until 2013. He also won All Britain titles at U14, U16, minor and U21 levels. 

"I'm second- generation Irish, my parents are from Galway," he told us. "My dad Colm, who is one of my assistants, played for Galway in the late '60s and my uncle played for Galway in the early 80s and played in the All-Ireland final in '83. I was born with Gaelic football surrounding me. My three older brothers played Gaelic football so I've grown up watching them.

"Lancashire is my county. It's where I was born and raised. It has been an honour to play underage and senior for Lancashire." 

Regarding the impending All-Ireland semi-final, Liam continues: "We are looking forward to it. There is a massive buzz around the game. Kerry are the Real Madrid of the GAA. Who wouldn't be excited at the prospect of playing them? I played against them before and it was a great experience. The pressure is on them to beat us, though, we are the underdog. But we may be able to do a Leicester City and achieve the impossible. The players are chomping on the bit for this game.

"We are advertising the game everywhere. We have had great coverage from the Irish World and Irish Post newspapers and the Lancashire County Board have been excellent in advertising the game through social media.

Ronnie Coyne, Liam's son, asleep with the All-Britain Sam Maguire Cup

"We want a big crowd there as Croke Park will be looking at it and seeing how we do. We want to make the day as professional as possible. If we can do the best we can on the day in organising it, it will have been down to a great effort from the Board and volunteers. 

"Preparation has gone well. The lads haven't needed much gearing up for the game because they are aware of the enormity of it. All-Ireland semi V Kerry … win that, go play a final at Croke Park … if a lad can't get himself up for that then I don't know what will. Tommy Harkin and my Dad Colm are my assistant managers and have been great from the outset. We are all singing from the same hymn sheet, we have the approach to tactics which is great.

"All the lads are fighting for a starting place, which is every manager's dream. We have players from the big four senior clubs in Lancashire and although they knock ten bells out of each other in Club football, once they come Lancashire training everything is left in car park and they come to train and be a team, a unit."

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