Killkenny under-21 manager Eddie Brennan paid tribute to an excellent Limerick side as the Munster county claimed the Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling title on Saturday.
It finished 0-17 to 0-11 to the Treaty County and speaking to Off the Ball's Oisin Langan after the match, Brennan said: "Look, we have to salute a good team - they were excellent. They out-fought us in every area. I thought our backs done superb in the first half amidst huge pressure.
"They attacked from minute one. I know what that's like but we were playing catch-up. We were playing second fiddle to them for most of the way through that half.
"The game was played on Limerick's terms and yet look, at times we kind of came with a bit of a reply a couple of minutes before half time and had a couple of chances to get a point or two more. And, I think, had we gone in maybe four or five down, it may have been a little bit different.
"But to be fair to Limerick, every time we came at them when we got our patch there - we probably needed to tag on a goal and we never looked like getting it and to be fair to them, I thought they rallied well.
"Their backs hurled very well as a defensive unit. they were solid and look, we'd have to say the best team won," he added.
Asked if Limerick's physical approach was ultimately the difference between the teams, he said: "They were good in the tackle. You'd have to say in the 50/50, 60/40 balls - there was so many times we lost possession, we were dispossessed, we fumbled the ball and that's, you can say it's nerves and a lot of things, the occasion - it's down to the pressure you're being put under as well."
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