We waited until after 6pm for the Kilkenny dressingroom door to open. The players, heads bowed, trundled towards the coach. The delay was due to a team meeting, we were told, to organise training for the coming week.

There is a good chance a couple of home truths were passed on by Brian Cody. He has no intention of opening his heart to the media about what he thinks of individual performances. That will always remain within the panel.

Still, the players' demeanour and the length of time it took to organise a set-in-stone arrangement told another story. There will be some interesting nights in Nowlan Park over the coming weeks, as the rest of the panel have just realised that most numbers from one to 15 are back up for grabs. DJ Carey got an honourable mention, as did John Tennyson, who replaced the injured Noel Hickey at full back.

Cody's take on the whole affair remained positive. This performance is actually more of a benefit to a manager than the expected dominance.

"Championship matches are won sometimes not by magic or by beauty or anything else but by character and guts. Being prepared to dig in, and I think we have always been able to do that. That's the most important thing and we did that again really.

"It was a serious test because they had taken over the pitch really, but we steadied it and the players responded and they fought and tackled and we got a bit of breathing space again."

In most field sports the periods either side of half-time are when games are won and lost. That doesn't really apply to hurling, but this was the period Limerick threatened to spoil the party.

"They got on a serious roll just before half-time and 15-20 minutes into the second half they slaughtered us. I think they outscored us eight points to one during a 20-minute period or something. That's serious stuff and we won't progress any further if it were to happen again," said Cody.

"Limerick had a massive incentive to come and play today too. It took them a while to settle, but when they did they showed they were serious."

The motivation for their next opponents is huge considering the 19-point beating Kilkenny handed Galway last year.

"Today's performance wouldn't beat Galway," said Cody. "They are a very slick team, very quick team, very good hurlers. I suppose it goes without saying they have a massive incentive to have another crack at us."

Limerick manager Joe McKenna realised at last Sunday's training session in Croke Park that half his panel had never been to Croke Park before, never mind playing there against the most feared team in the country in front of 44,438 people. So he was pleased with the attitude in the second half, once he told them to just go out and hurl.

One major turning point was the Donie Ryan disallowed goal: "I couldn't really see it but nine times out of 10 you'll get it and that would have been a huge boost for us. We were a bit tentative, but it just shows if you have good players you will get back into the game.

"We could have taken a few more scores. The lack of experience of big games in Croke Park went against us. They're learning . . . We have a good squad and I think if a few players can be added to it next year Limerick can be serious."

Whether he will be back with them is for another day.