Derek Lyng: ‘I can't fault our players. I thought they never gave up’

The Kilkenny boss ended his first season in charge with an All-Ireland final defeat on Sunday.

RESPECT: Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng and Limerick manager John Kiely shake hands after the game. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Derek Lyng’s debut campaign as Kilkenny manager ended with a nine-point All-Ireland final loss against Limerick. The new boss will have learned plenty in 2023, particularly in relation to what exactly the benchmark looks like.

The challenge isn’t just to meet this standard. Kilkenny and all contenders will need to clear it in order to down Limerick. The Leinster champions started brightly and led by three at the turnaround. After an hour the margin was only two. Ultimately, they could not sustain the challenge.