You learn from watching Kerry annihilate teams in All-Ireland finals. You learn to get down to the losing dressingroom before the presentation. You learn to choose your questions carefully.

It was a traumatised Mayo dressingroom 12 months ago. Yesterday the faces of the Cork players showed how shell-shocked they were. This was a crushing defeat by their oldest neighbours.

While Kerry climbed the Hogan steps Billy Morgan was walking back down the tunnel all alone. He paused to discuss what had just transpired - having conspicuously made sure no representative of the Irish Examiner was present. The Cork manager's issues with de Paper have been well documented and don't require revisiting here.

What do you ask a man in such a scenario? You can only start at the beginning of the end: the second goal. Kieran Donaghy picking Ger Spillane's pocket just seconds into what many hoped would be a monumental second act (they would have loved Donaghy's audacity in Tralee Tigers, the big man's basketball team).

The contest died at this juncture. A six-point deficit quickly became nine as Bryan Sheehan, Séamus Scanlon and Declan O'Sullivan - like all good predators - caught the scent of blood and duly went into feeding-frenzy mode.

"There was no way back for us really," Morgan began. "The only difference in the first half was that goal (by Colm Cooper). We felt we were in with a right chance but we got a terrible start to the second half with that goal, which was a bad mistake on our part. And then Kerry's tails were up and it was very hard to get back at it."

So, we never got much of a final. Cork never arrived, much like Mayo in 2004 and 2006. Kerry refused to allow it.

"We're a much better team than that," continued Morgan. "That's their fourth All-Ireland final in a row. It's our first in maybe 10 years (eight, but who's counting?). There is a young team there. I think there is a huge future for Cork football."

Dangerous territory coming up. There is a young team there, Billy, but will the manager be back to guide them for a fifth season?

"I believe there is an All-Ireland in them," he insisted.

Will you be staying with them?

"My term of office is complete so you have to ask the county board that."

We go back to when it was still a contest. What was the feeling at half-time? (The question is partly drowned out by a huge roar from outside, presumably Declan O'Sullivan lifting the Sam Maguire.)

"At half-time I felt we hadn't played really well, that we weren't getting the possession in the middle of the field that we thought we should get. We were still only within one score so we felt we were in with a right chance."

RTÉ television came calling, so the Cork selector John Corcoran took up the baton and was asked would Morgan remain in charge.

"Oh, obviously. Billy has brought this team to an All-Ireland final and I hope he stays on. I hope he is at the helm when we do make the breakthrough again.

"It wasn't this year but the talent is there for next year. Billy will have to make up his own mind."

Wing back John Miskella could only reiterate the depressing reality for Cork football: "Things just didn't go right. We were ready to get back into it after half-time but when things happen like that you can't do anything about it.

"To be honest, if they just got the goal . . . it was more than that - a constant wave for about five, 10 minutes.

"We're a young team. We have a lot to learn to get up one more step. We want an All-Ireland and that's all we want and we won't stop until we win it."

Cork slip back into the pack. They will eventually win an All-Ireland but the question remains whether this is the team to do it. Many counties ask themselves that question these days. All but one, in fact.