Words don't come easy after epic

So, after the greatest trilogy in Munster championship history, after three games, two periods of extra-time, after about four and a half hours of hurling, it was hardly surprising that Limerick manager Richie Bennis was struggling for words - and Tipperary's Michael "Babs" Keating was simply lost for them. It seemed crazy to ask these men to try and make sense of it all, when we couldn't even begin.

"Mighty," started Bennis, still visibly shaking from the exertions of the most inseparable championship match-up of the decade. "Just mighty for the supporters, and mighty for the team. They're the people that count."

It was, we reminded Bennis, Limerick's first Munster senior hurling championship win since 2001, and that seemed to stump him as well.

"Well it took us a long time, didn't it? Sure it's very welcome. I think there was an awful lot of good hurling along the way. But I never thought this game was gone for us, not even with their goal in extra-time. The way things were panning out over the three matches it was going to be very close either way. And it was. Thankfully we were on the right side.

"That goal was a killer, but we did come back. That's what this team are capable of doing. Sure it's easy to come back from two points. The difference between the winners and losers here was massive. And that's really what motivated our players. They (Tipp) are out next Saturday, and Offaly won't be easy."

Limerick still have a challenge, as Bennis attempts to control the hype surrounding their Munster final against Waterford in two weeks' time. "Sure that's the biggest problem now, that we're the last six months trying to bring them to this hype, and we've two weeks now to bring them down. But I knew there was enough in them today to last extra-time, because this team is superbly fit, and fresh. We knew there was enough in them to keep going, but the subs made a difference as well.

"Hopefully, there is more to come, I don't now about that. But I mean if we get that much out of them the next day we'll be happy enough. Their intensity was great, and their hurling ability and work-rate is tremendous. We'll go for a bit of swim tomorrow evening. But when you win a game like that you don't feel half the pains."

One of the players feeling no pain was forward Andrew O'Shaughnessy, who despite having two All-Ireland under-21s to his name, had just experienced his first ever win in the Munster championship.

"Sure we were starved for success, really," he said. "At least we have something to shout about now anyway. But we have to get our heads screwed back on for the next day.

"We should have had that game won in normal time. But sure we'll keep our feet on the ground. We'll enjoy ourselves tonight. But we've a Munster final in two weeks' time. If we don't win that this won't be long forgotten."

For Tipperary the challenge that lies ahead is of a totally different sort, trying to get the heads right again for the first round of qualifiers in six days' time. Keating wanted to sleep on that, declining all requests for an interview, and instead it was selector Tom Barry who tried to put words on it.

"Well to lose it the way we did is very disappointing. The prize was huge out there today, and after three games, two bouts of extra-time, it's more than just losing out on a Munster final. That's what disappointed.

"The players are devastated in there. Shattered after the exertions. But we're very proud of them as a bunch of players, a bunch of amateurs. But we've no complaints. It was a hard, honest game, as both teams fought tooth and nail. The small things decided it on the day."

But can Tipperary rise to their next challenge? "Sure anybody can imagine how difficult that is going to be, having played three weekends in a row. These are all amateur players, back at work in the morning.

"But we'll regroup, and use all the therapies we can find to heal the wounds. But the big job is getting mentally refocused. That's the medicine we have to take. We always knew that would be the case. One win though will have us back on the road, but Offaly are an improving team, but we'll be going out for the win."