Mr Kenny's front bench will have to start landing blows on the Government, writes Mark Hennessy.
Fine Gael went to the trouble yesterday of finding a long mahogany table, complete with leather placemats, to fill much of the Shelbourne Hotel's Constitution Room on St Stephen's Green.
The Cabinet Room imagery message was clear, if heavily laboured, as the seats were filled by the party's front bench, who trooped in after Mr Kenny shortly after 2 p.m.
Fine Gael is a party waiting for power.
If it is to win office, Mr Kenny's selections, which appear cleverly thought out, will have to start landing blows on the Government from the off.
Promoting Mr Michael Noonan to head the Public Accounts Committee is particularly astute, since his aggressive demeanour is likely to infuriate civil servants and provoke acres of friendly newsprint.
In addition, Mr Noonan would be sufficiently far enough away from Mr Kenny during the normal course of Dáil business not to provoke comparison with Banquo's ghost from Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Though Mr Kenny's plans were disturbed by the decision of fellow Mayo TD Mr Michael Ring to refuse the marine portfolio, Mr Ring is undoubtedly correct in believing that marine amounted to a demotion.
One of Fine Gael's hardest-working deputies, Mr Ring has focused well on social and family affairs issues up to now, though he failed to cause many difficulties for Ms Mary Coughlan during her time in the brief.
Mr Ring complained loudly last night, pointing out that he had slaved in the party's cause for 25 years while Wexford TD Dr Liam Twomey got one of the best roles after just a wet week in the party's ranks.
Though life in the home constituency will no doubt get complicated for Mr Kenny, there is no doubt that he will not be dependent on Mr Ring for transfers as he once was.
Neither will FG, for now at any rate, long tolerate internal dissent.
"Michael Ring is a backbencher. Enda Kenny will be running as the man who could be Taoiseach. There is a big difference," said one Fine Gael figure, unconcerned by Mr Ring's temper.
Still upset, the fiery Mayo man returned to his Newport home last night happy, perhaps, that he had played the martyr's card.
However, he may well have hurt his own chances of ever holding political office.
The appointment of Dr Twomey is another matter entirely, however. Just 2½ years in the Dáil, Dr Twomey knows little about shadowing a minister, particularly one as formidable as the Tánaiste, Ms Harney.
Given the importance that health will play in the next election, Dr Twomey will have to score well.
If not, the judgment of Mr Kenny in bringing him in in the first place will be brought into stark relief.
A few TDs, such as Mr David Stanton and Mr Fergus O'Dowd, have been justly promoted, though both will have to display a greater level of ruthlessness if they are to strike blows on their Cabinet opponents.