Kilkenny reaction: Keith Duggan Andy Comerford struck the perfect word during a poised and eloquent post-match address to his team. Humble. A glimmering 2-20 on the scoreboard of the new cathedral but little whooping or strutting. Kilkenny's delight is of a quiet kind. Black, self-deprecating humour runs through the narrative of another perfect amber day.

Henry Shefflin, the star, is laughing as he tells a story in the corner.

"John Hoyne there you know, he got a slap there today - it just shows the spirit of this team. He was warming up in the dressing-room and - as we call him Dougal, it would only happen on Father Ted - he got a slap of a hurl in the head from someone. He got four staples before he went out, so it is just a great tribute to go out on the field at all. That was just the warm-up."

The latest son of Ballyhale shakes his copper-gold head, face creased at the memory. He was sublime on the field and we gently urge him to reflect on his 1-7.

"It doesn't matter who scores. Once we win is all that matters. Like, Martin Comerford didn't score, but if he hadn't blocked that man over in the corner, who knows, we might be in the losing dressing-room here this evening."

Young Comerford's smashing cross-ball led to Shefflin's delicate goal touch, the score that put the polish on Kilkenny's 27th title. Henry reckons he didn't know much about it.

"Jesus, not at all. Gerry Quinn was out in front of me so I just said I'll stick me hurl out. It's like 2000, I was tellin' one of the lads, we'll have to look at the video to see who scored it cos meself and DJ were in a complicated one in 2000 as well, and it was kinda like that. But it doesn't matter who gets them."

Martin Comerford is sitting across the way, amused by the way life has turned in his maiden season.

"Dream come true, dream come true," he admits with a rosy grin.

"I was surprised, I wasn't that nervous to be honest. No more nervous than at the county final. Maybe when you are surrounded by great players - if you don't perform yourself, you have plenty of back-up."

With a wince he offers a synopsis of his big brother Andy, who is as reserved as the young fella is talkative.

"Ah, he got a lot of criticism after the Offaly and Wexford games but he bounced back for the Tipp match, fair play to him. He got himself in order, he was a bit unfit. He must have had a heavy winter. But he is after coming back strong."

Martin smiles at the notion that he might have received some advice from Comerford the Elder about how to deal with an hour in the company of Brian Lohan.

"Sure, tear into him is all you can do. He gave me a few digs on the way in all right, but sure you'd expect that in an All-Ireland final. Sure, I just took it all in me stream really, I was only tippin' away in the oul league matches and that.

"I started off in Walsh Cup matches and Oireachtas matches and a few oul league matches. We won the oul league. I had a broken finger for the last couple of weeks so I was a bit less inclined to put up my hand to catch the yoke, you know. I had an oul injection beforehand and it stood up well, but ah sure, I was competin' with a big man in the air and it was just a matter of breakin' the ball for DJ and he'd do the rest."

As ever, Comerford senior takes a back-seat role, shying from the attention. We eventually catch up with him in the shadows of the Cusack, the Liam McCarthy casually at his side.

"Brian (Cody) laid it down from the word go. There was going to be no airs or graces, no individualism. And this was definitely a team effort. We played hard hurling but we played the ball every time and in my estimation, I don't think we tried to stop teams playing. It's not our style and we were going to hurl Kilkenny style. It was our motivation to get Kilkenny back to where they were in the 70s. A team to be feared and reckoned with. And Clare, a great team, and we went out together and that's why I have the cup here today."

Last word goes to the flame-haired warrior of so many of Kilkenny's timeless days. John Power offers his usual good-natured smile at the novelty of another All-Ireland medal long after he felt his harvest had been collected. His late cameo brought a fond and nostalgic roar and he left the field with the jersey of the great Brian Lohan. No bad way to bow out.

"Sure I dunno, I was like one of the bails in the trailer just going along. That was it. I am after playing with great players and to come away from a career and have friends like that, with lads that stood into battle with you is the biggest thing of all. It was great to get the few medals along the way."

Humble, the captain said. How true, then, Power's parting words.

"I gave it the best shot, I trained hard and I was fit to play and it didn't happen for me. I was knocked out by Henry's performance and I don't think that's any shame on my behalf. I wouldn't hang my head over that. Last Monday night, I could have stepped into the number 11 if Henry wasn't there and people would have said, 'tis great to have John Power to come in. But it didn't happen and he is a great player and I wish the world to him. He is burning up the ground there."

And everywhere, the fields are amber.