Brian Cody: Every Kilkenny person should be proud of how the team performed

Close but no cigar.

A sixth All-Ireland hurling final defeat as Kilkenny manager for Brian Cody and third since 2015. Even when you have 11 winner's medals in your pocket, they still sting.

But he was proud of his young team's efforts in chasing Limerick all the way before they eventually succumbed by two points in the tightest decider in years.

"It was close for sure at the end," Cody told RTÉ Sport afterwards. "According to most people's predictions we weren't at the level to even have a chance of getting to an All-Ireland final. But I think our players just deserve fantastic admiration for the way they fought it out.

"I think every Kilkenny person should be very, very proud of how the Kilkenny team performed.

"The early goal gave them [Limerick] obviously a huge boost, great confidence and gave them that cushion the whole way nearly right up to half-time. They got some great scores. Half-time, four points down, which is not a big lead obviously in hurling.

"Second half then we fought it out and fought it out, unfortunate we didn't get to where we wanted to get to, but obviously we congratulate Limerick as All-Ireland champions, three-in-a-row champions, which is a huge achievement for them."

Limerick led by six points in the early stages of the second half but goals from Billy Ryan and Martin Keoghan dragged Kilkenny back into the contests and they were twice level, albeit briefly.

"We felt there was more in us and there was more in us. So that was it. At half-time, we felt we could improve things and I think the lads did improve in so many ways.

"Obviously, a score like that is huge but you never presume anything because the quality of the opposition is so good and so strong and obviously physically they're a powerful team as