It was not a surprise that Liam Kearns bowed out after yesterday's loss to Derry, but nonetheless, his departure underlined that top-class football is a brutal business.

The popular Kerryman guided Limerick to the threshold of phenomenal success over the past six years, but on a lonely, windblown day in McHale Park, it all boiled down to the great obsession with his native county.

"This was always my last year," he confirmed as the last of the Derry crowds followed the compass north. "I came back for one more year and it was a tough year in terms of injuries. But at the end of the day I think we are just a little bit short in terms of what it takes to beat the top teams. We have to accept that.

"But they are young and I hope someone comes in and they stay together. I would like nothing better than to see them win a Munster title. They deserve one and I think in any other era this Limerick team would have got a Munster title. Kerry have just killed us."

It is hard to be optimistic about Limerick's immediate future, given that so much of their promise seemed linked to Kearns' great vigour and ability.

"John Quane will almost certainly go," he said, "but it is not a day for decisions. They have done things Limerick teams have never done. They won a Munster Under-21 title, were beaten in an All-Ireland final. They won three McGrath Cups, played Division One of the national league and got to the semi-final, and played in successive Munster finals.

"Without doubt they are the best Limerick team to emerge, but the goal I set was to win Munster and we missed that and we just have to accept it."

While other modest counties have blossomed in the hinterlands of the qualifying series, it's been cruel to Limerick. Knocked out by Mayo, Armagh and Derry over the past three years, this season they were competitive against Derry, but struggled to find any real form.

"Another gallant defeat, but the same old story. In the first half we had the wind and we needed scores on the board and we put up four points. You won't win games with that. Then with our backs to the wall, we fought with a great rearguard action and got level. But that tells. And you couldn't legislate for Paddy Bradley's kicking."

Mickey Moran crossed his path and the two managers stopped to shake hands. The Derry man has been in Kearns' place before and there was a stage in this match when the northern team might have struggled. It had been an unsettled week in the Oak Leaf county, with the county board going through a club schedule with reckless abandon. Enda Muldoon was the most notable casualty, unable to line out here due to a hamstring injury.

"We did it for Fergal (Doherty) and Big Enda and all the fellas that picked up injuries. That was the pleasing thing," said Moran." I don't know how we got this far to be honest. We had 20 able to train on Sunday morning last. We even had a physio play top of the left so we could reproduce a team.

"It was a tactical game - (Stephen) Lucey was annoying us because we were kicking it into his hands so we substituted Francis (McEldowney) who was doing well - he was annoyed but he understands now and we had Conleth Gilligan come out and do what he can do well.

"I'd go anywhere to see the smile on Conleth's face that was there today. It is one of the best victories in terms of all we had to put up with.

"I think nobody can deny their heart now. I give credit to John Morrison, a phenomenal trainer, and our backroom staff, but most credit has to go to the players. And please, it is not Mickey Moran's team. It is Derry. And they deserve the credit."