LIMERICK MANAGER JOHN Kiely felt Cork got a break with the amount of injury-time played at the end of extra-time in tonight’s Munster hurling final.

Cork were rescued by Darragh Fitzgibbon’s 93rd-minute ’65 to force a penalty shootout, where they triumphed 3-2.

Aaron Gillane’s pointed free seemed set to be the match-winner and Kiely was disappointed with the amount of injury time then played by referee James Owens, the stand-in official who took charge after Thomas Walsh went off injured.

“I think they got a really good rub of green there just in that last piece. We felt that there was three minutes gone, you know It’s hard to find three minutes of added time in a 10-minute half.

“There was only one minute in the first half, so you know, as I said, we’ll have to go back, watch the tape, analyse it, break it down before we formulate a concrete opinion of it. But it was a little, I suppose, difficult to understand.”

Kiely hailed the character of his players.

“All told, I just have to be super proud of our lads, the effort they put in. It was just an incredible effort. You know, we’ve won six out of seven Munster finals. That record, I think will stand a long time. I think the extra-time piece, again, we have a great record in extra-time.

“I thought we were a better team in extra time. I think we created 14 scoring chances to their eight in extra-time. So I thought we had enough done to win the game in that extra-time period.

“We got to penalties and penalties are penalties. There’s no dress-rehearsal for this. There’s no practicing for this. It’s just put your best foot forward and you know, you’re taking a shot on behalf of the group. It’s not on the lads.

“I thought Declan and Tom and Barry, you know, manfully put their hand up to take these penalties and as far as we’re concerned, you know, it was it was our Limerick senior hurling team who lost this afternoon rather than Barry, or Declan or Tom, that’s for sure.”

He paid tribute to Cork and manager Pat Ryan on their victory.

“I think everybody would agree that it’s in normal play that a game should be finished. But listen, these are the rules, these are the procedures and we have to go with that, you know. Fair play to Cork. They took the penalties when it came around.

“In fairness to Pat, Pat has done a fantastic job with that Cork team and, you know, to come down here and to get a win, is a serious achievement in a Munster final and we have to acknowledge that.”

For the first time since 2018, Limerick must go a different championship route rather than progressing directly to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

“It’s a different route , listen it’s a must-win game in two weeks’ time, it’s knock-out hurling from now on. That’s the end of it.

“So, you know, we will regroup, we will refresh. We’re in a good place.

“We’re beaten today, we’re disappointed today. That’s not to say that we’re not going to be able to refresh, regroup and come again. I have every faith in these guys to get back to the wheel again next week.

“We’ll take a bit of a break, we’ll refresh, and we’ll come strong, I’ve no doubt.”