The last championship defeat suffered by Jack O'Connor's Kerry management had a particular resonance for team trainer Pat Flanagan. In the dying moments of the Munster under-21 final two years ago Waterford sensationally grabbed the winning goal and the county's first elite football title in over a century.
Flanagan is a native of Waterford city and grew up 200 yards from Walsh Park. His football credentials are impressive and have been established in partnership with Val Andrews in charge of IT Tralee's first Sigerson winning teams and with O'Connor and Kerry.
Credited by the Kerry manager with being an integral part of the county's success last year, Flanagan is also popular with the players.
"He's a very positive guy," says team captain Declan O'Sullivan, "and every time he comes to training he comes with a smile on his face. That rubs off on the players and we've thoroughly enjoyed this year as well as last year and that's borne out by how the year has flown - last year seems like yesterday.
"He's kept the training varied and every fella fresh. People seem to be coming to form at the right time and that's indicative of how he works."
Last year's run to the All-Ireland was notable for the manner in which Kerry picked up momentum as the championship reached it climax. The secret of preparing a team for a successful defence of the All-Ireland has eluded counties for the past 15 years and only Armagh in 2003 even got as far as the following year's final.
Flanagan accepts that the challenge of building on last year's fitness and conditioning was a demanding one.
"There was no point coming back after the work we'd done last year and losing it all. They'd had a long year the previous year and they needed some time but they came back and started ticking over from early November into the new year and then into the league."
The first match of the league is an interesting starting point. Kerry lost to Cork under lights at Páirc Uí Rinn after running out of steam in the final quarter.
"We were four points up with 12 minutes gone in the second half. The game was quite even but Cork upped it and we weren't able to respond but I was happy with the response after that."
Kerry narrowly missed out on qualifying for the knock-out stages of the National League but had already improved their displays.
By July they were able to edge past Cork in the Munster final and seven weeks later, destroyed the same opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final.
"I was delighted with the performance in the semi-final," says Flanagan, "and the way they rolled up their sleeves, got around the pitch and made it very difficult for Cork. If we could do that again we'd be all right. It's very hard to ask players to keep upping it and upping it but I hope that we go out and play well. If we do that and stay in the game, we'll be happy enough."
Tyrone represent a sterner test. More experienced and with an All-Ireland already under their belt, Mickey Harte's team, along with Joe Kernan's Armagh, are perceived to have revolutionised GAA standards of physical preparation and conditioning.
Flanagan denies that measuring his work against the Ulster teams is an especially important benchmark.
"No, because when we're working in the middle of February and March you're not thinking Armagh, Tyrone, Mayo or Cork, You're just thinking about getting the team ready for whatever lies ahead."
Ultimately, Flanagan says that confidence and a positive mentality are natural by-products of good preparation and disciplined lifestyle.
"Jack mentioned during the week that this is like preparing for an exam. If you've prepared well for an exam mentally you feel good about it. You're looking forward to it. You're not afraid of it.
"If you prepare well the skills and physically, recover well, mind yourself and eat well, going into a game is something to look forward to rather than dread."
