Kennedy and Ó Sé know the score now
Clare now face Liam Kearns' side in Ennis in five weeks in the provincial semi-final, keenly aware that it will take a huge effort to derail the rampant Shannonsiders.
"I was hugely impressed by Limerick," said Kennedy. "They were simply awesome in their application and their victory was so emphatic it has to be a worry for us.
"The diamond around midfield, half-back and half-forward has great pace about it and their workrate off the ball when Cork were in possession was the deciding factor for me.
"Everyone became a defender once they lost the ball and wing-forwards Stephen Lavin and Stephen Kelly were regularly seen back behind the ball helping out. There was no such movement in the Cork team, which surprised me.
Kennedy is impressed by the balance in this Limerick team. "Limerick have been assembling this team over the last few years. They have all the necessary ingredients of height, strength and no fear, and of course they can play football as well.
"To go down to Cork and beat them by ten points was a magnificent achievement by Limerick. If Kerry did that they would be installed as favourites for the All-Ireland. You would have to be impressed by that performance.
"Even allowing for the fact that Cork didn't play well, you have to give credit to Limerick. They were outstanding from the first minute to the last with no let-up in their application.
Limerick are now serious championship contenders, insists Kennedy: "Last year if wasn't for a blinding save by Declan O'Keeffe from Mike Reidy at a crucial stage, they could have beaten Kerry in the championship.
"They have been building this team and making steady progress. Already they have won promotion to Division One of the league for next year, and they must be very serious championship contenders this season.
"It would be fair to say that the likes of Clare will fear Kerry and Cork but Limerick don't have that fear now. Victories like Sunday gets rid of that fear and it's something Clare will have to rid themselves of also. .
"Expectations will be huge in Limerick now after beating Cork, and you could sense that among their following coming out of Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
"The result was great for football. Teams like Westmeath, Monaghan, Longford and Wexford are all preparing professionally now, and on the day anything can happen.
"There is no question but Cork will be back, but on this occasion they had no answer to Limerick who deserve everything that is being said and written about them," Kennedy said.
Meanwhile, though Kerry are on the other side of the Munster draw, Páidi Ó Sé would have appreciated Limerick's potential more than most managers in advance of the Cork game.
However he still admitted to a sense of surprise by the ease of their victory. "No neutral observer would have thought that would be the outcome," said the Kerry coach, who was present at the game. "Going down to Cork and beating them - not by a last-minute goal, but fairly and squarely by ten points - was a major achievement.
"I just felt Cork had a very bad day at the office; it was just one of those days that nothing went right for them. But, I wouldn't want to take away from Limerick. They were absolutely magnificent and they played with great spirit.''
Ó Sé felt that Limerick's involvement in the knock-out stages of the League obviously stood to them, particularly the fact that they played in a very tight game against Westmeath in the final.
"Again the midfielders played a big part. I'd d say there's no doubt but that John Galvin and John Quane are possibly the best midfield pairing in the country. And, you would have to be impressed by the free-taking of Muiris Gavin, it was so consistent. It shows you just how important a place-kicker means to a team. "
On the injuries front, the Kerry manager is confident with the exception of Donal Daly and Marc Ó Sé (recovering from an achilles heel injury and glandular fever, respectively) - that they will be able to pick from a full panel for their semi-final against Waterford or Tipperary on June 15.
Dara Ó Cinnéide is making good progress with his hamstring injury, while there is no real worry at this stage about the fitness of Aodhán MacGearailt, who picked up a similar problem at the weekend.
Kerry will be at home for their semi-final game, either in Killarneyor Tralee.
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