“We didn't find ourselves in the top three last year and our goal was to get into that top three. People were laughing at me. I'm serious. I'm just delighted that we will be still be hurling in July. That wasn't the case last year.”

It’s onwards and upwards for Liam Sheedy and Tipperary.

“That’s our focus now. We’ve got to get the heads up, get back on the horse and go and get a performance. That’s the only way you can do it. No matter how disappointing it is, you have just got to flush it out of the mind and prepare to go again next Sunday.”

The Banner County can’t afford to dwell on the disappointment of this defeat, according to joint-manager Gerry O'Connor, with All-Ireland champions Limerick next on the agenda.

“Our work-rate up front. We worked really hard, put an awful lot of pressure on the Waterford backs. Turned over a good lot of ball and got good scores. Overall, the whole attitude of what we were about today was much better.”

John Kiely revealed what the most pleasing aspect of Limerick’s dismantling of Waterford was from his point of view.

“Everybody is very disappointed and we’re trying to figure out, I suppose, based on the overall preparations through the year how we ended up where we are now. That’s the hard part for us all to figure, at the moment.”

Pauric Fanning is at a loss to explain Waterford’s dismal displays in this year’s Munster championship.

“It’s the deciding game next and going into that last round of games there’ll be four teams still in the running for three positions. So there’ll be a lot at stake for everybody. As I said after the Wexford game, that point for drawing means that the Championship is still in our own hands. It’s knock-out from now on from us, we have to win every game.”

Dublin’s fate is very much in their own hands and Mattie Kenny was pleased with the performance against Carlow.

“We know it’s going to be a cauldron of physicality and intensity against Wexford. They’re going to come at us very, very hard and try to put that game beyond us. But in a hurling game, there’s always hope.”

Colm Bonnar and Carlow will travel to Innovate Wexford Park next Saturday evening.

“I’m gutted. I’m an Offaly man. I came in there two weeks ago for a month to try to turn this around. We have another two weeks to prepare now for Kerry, which is going to be another dogfight in Tralee and our aim is to avoid going down to the Christy Ring.”

Antrim inflicted a third Joe McDonagh Cup defeat on Offaly and interim manager Joachim Kelly has a big job on his hands if they are to avoid the drop.

“A lot of our lads had never experienced that kind of atmosphere and we knew Offaly were going to come out with all their fans and everyone rowing in behind Joachim (Kelly, interim manager). Their lives were on the line here and we knew we were coming into a real cauldron and that will really build so much for our boys.”

There are lots of positives to Antrim's performance against the Faithful County as far as Neil McManus is concerned.

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