"We're not going to be fooled by today, we know the quality that's in Kilkenny, we know the quality that's out there amongst a number of teams. You could probably pick out five or six teams that could win an All-Ireland. We're not going to be fooled into thinking anything about that, we're going to play the League final on its merits in two weeks time. We'll just see what happens then."

Any day you beat Kilkenny it's a good day but Davy Fitzgerald isn't getting carried away.

"No excuses, no nothing else about it. They got on top of the game early and they played very, very well. The scoreline is a fair reflection of the way the game went. They're very, very good; they've excellent hurlers. They really, really, really played very, very well and they out-hurled us all over the field."

Brian Cody was magnanimous in defeat.

"Our attitude has been consistent about the league, we feel our best chance of success in the championship is to do well in the league. That's us out there, there are no secrets, no hidden tactical ploys. We're here warts and all and that's what we intend to be in the final, though if we lost that we'll have to recover for a championship game in June against Clare."

Don't tell Derek McGrath that the league doesn't matter.

"We will have to assess it, we will have to assess the whole thing and look at it, the last day was a good win against Dublin and today was a good opportunity for Limerick to get back into a league final but we were well-beat in the second-half."

It's back to the drawing board for TJ Ryan and the Shannonsiders.

"Ah you always worry. I think you spend 60 minutes worrying on the sideline to be honest with you. Look, we were worried about various things but knowing the character of these boys, we were hoping that there was always going to be a push in them. Thankfully, it turned out that way."

Michael Solan couldn't have been prouder of his players after they came from behind to snatch the U-21 FC semi-final spoils from under Dublin's nose.

"I think that breeze was a little harder to deal with than we were giving it credit for. We were just slow and lethargic. We just looked out on our feet early. There was none of the coming off the shoulder and opening them up - that wasn't happening at all. It started happening in the second half. We sort of threw the shackles off a bit and went for it. But I don't know why we didn't do it in the first half."

A lack-lustre first-half display came back to haunt Dessie Farrell and the Dubs.

"It's great for this team. We've been at it three years, we were unlucky two years ago against Roscommon and last year we were pipped in the Munster final. Now we're in the final, the job really is to win the final, not just get into it so we've a lot of work to do in the next two weeks."

The job is only half done according to Cork boss Sean Hayes.

"You're hoping that Cork are going to come with a "B" game rather than an "A" game. Unfortunately they brought their "A" game and we didn't bring ours, that's what cost us. The lads are devastated because they know for a lot of them this could be the end of their county career."

Hayes' Monaghan counterpart Ciaran McBride says his team didn't perform up to scratch.

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