John Kiely says Limerick were on the end of a “softening up exercise” over the past fortnight, after seeing his side edge out Waterford in Sunday's Munster opener at Semple Stadium.
Kiely comments come amid talk during the week that his side could be going for six All-Irelands in a row if they hadn’t slipped up against Kilkenny in the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final.
Limerick held on at Thurles for a 1-18 to 0-19 victory despite having Gearoid Hegarty sent off on a second yellow card after 47 minutes.
READ MORE: Waterford staff member sent off after appearing to strike Limerick player
“Listen, let’s be honest about it, there was some amount of b******t spoke about our team and the season ahead this week and the week before,” said four-time All-Ireland winning boss, Kiely.
“It’s a softening up exercise mentally from those outside of our camp. But we’re around a long time.
“We know that’s all folly and nonsense. Every day you go out, you’re there to be beaten. We saw that again today.
“Couple of chances go left, right on you and you’re in that situation where you lose your game.
“Every day we go out we know that we can possibly be beaten. That’s just the way it is. So I think that was a lot of nonsense.
“I think people might hopefully have a bit more reality about their perspective and their analysis about where things are going.”
Kiely reckons outside talk didn’t affect his players’ performance.
He continued: “I don’t think it interfered at all because we dealt with it.
“I knew this was going to be a really tight game. Am I the only one who is really surprised by the result today?
“What’s the problem, like? Waterford are a fantastic side. They’ve been in a couple of All-Ireland finals the last number of years.
“Been in Munster finals. They’re a serious, serious team. And they brought an absolutely massive challenge to us and we’re just relieved to come out the right side.
“We have huge respect for the opposition. People need to have more respect for the other teams that are out there, what they can bring. What’s at stake.
“Every day you go out there’s a game at stake. And you’ve got to lay it on out there.
“If you do enough, you might get out the right side. If you don’t, you won’t. It doesn’t matter who you are.”
Kiely says that protecting players from outside commentary is not possible.
“It’s not possible to insulate them from it at all, never mind fully,” he said.
“Because they live in the real world. They have to go to work every day. They have to meet their relations.
“They have phones with information on it so you can’t block them off or hunt them away somewhere.
“You just have to acknowledge the fact that this is nonsense. This is not true. This is lies. This is a softening up exercise.
“You can accept that and allow it to interfere with how you prepare, how you play.
“Or you can get on with your job and accept that every single time you’re on the ball you’re going to be hit like a train. Be ready for that.”
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