Kilkenny boss Brian Cody admitted that his team had to play “outstandingly well” to get past Limerick in this afternoon’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park.
The Cats advanced to another final with a narrow two-point victory over the gallant Shannonsiders – with goals from Richie Hogan and Eoin Larkin proving crucial.
Cody reflected: “It was as hard as you could get, I thought Limerick played outstanding.
“They threw everything at us and we were tested in every way.
“I suppose what shone through again was our absolute spirit to the end, competing manfully throughout the game.
“I thought our genuineness was superb, as was Limerick's because they kept going.
“We got goals and those were crucial, it was just a powerful game to win.
“Tough conditions, it wasn't a day you were going to do something terrific with the ball, but we were tested and we came through, thank God.”
Cody added: “Without a doubt if we had not been very, very good today we would have been blown away.
“We had to play outstandingly well to come through the game.
“There are different ways to play outstandingly well, it's not all about doing something wonderful, or playing flowing hurling, which the conditions weren't conducive to.
“We were a real team out there today, which is a good thing to be.”
And Cody couldn’t have been more satisfied with the massive test that his team received ahead of an All-Ireland final clash with Cork or Tipperary on September 7.
He said: “We were tested in every aspect, it was a huge test for us and a great game to get in a semi-final, no doubt about that.
“But it's all about the result, no matter how you get that.”
Meanwhile, deflated Limerick manager TJ Ryan revealed that he had come from “an exceptionally disappointed dressing-room” to face the media.
He said: “From our point of view, I thought we performed really well in the second half.
“When we got those five points in a row, they got a good goal to get them back into the game.
“You probably have to give them credit for that, they're an incredible team. “You can say they got two goals and we didn't get any, the same as the Munster final.
“Goals win matches. We probably had a couple of half chances, needed a break or two but it didn't happen. But it was close.”
And Ryan conceded that the lack of a goal cost Limerick – as it did in the Munster final defeat to Cork.
He reflected: “If we’d got one of them it would have done us.
“But, look, that’s hurling and the competition is very tight.
“There isn’t a lot between a few of the teams.
“We felt we deserved to be in the last four and our goal was to get to the last two. We came very, very close to doing that.
“In time we might say that we have stuff to build on, but at the moment that seems like a long, long time away.”
Ryan, who took over sole responsibility following the departure of former joint-manager Donal O’Grady earlier in the year, refused to be drawn on his future.
He said: “I’ll have to sit down and have a good look at it.
“I would be incredible proud of the lads.
“I’m really thankful to everyone in the management team and for everything that’s gone on the last few months.
“The performances have been quite good, but we have to look at it because we came up short in the Munster final and we came up a small bit short again today.”