The Rose rings out as Cody's men savour familiar winning feeling

Keith Duggan joins the celebrations in Kilkenny's dressingroom

Keith Dugganjoins the celebrations in Kilkenny's dressingroom

In the end, Eddie Brennan carried the Liam MacCarthy Cup through the tunnel, turning right and whooping. Two kids in Kilkenny shirts stared at Fast Eddie in awe as he brandished the famous silverware and shouted, "we got what we came for". Later, Henry Shefflin hobbled along, grinning.

"I said to (Noel) Hickey we must be getting old if we are both going off at once," he laughed as he stood trying to put sense on a strange and marvellous afternoon. His cruciate ligament has probably snapped, but at half past five, he was too happy to care.

He had just realised a boyhood dream, a Kilkenny rite of passage. He had just delivered a stirring and, in the end, devastatingly poignant captain's speech in tribute to his team-mate, James McGarry. The goalkeeper stood on the edge of the dressingroom, quiet and shaking hands and content to just watch.

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Earlier, with the doors locked, the victors had sung The Rose of Mooncoin together. After the doors were opened, the mood was quiet and satisfied. James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick felt his way into this All-Ireland final like a veteran actor in a movie, stealing several big scenes without making any bones about it. He explained the difference between this medal and his first.

"Last year was special, stopping Cork doing the three in a row, but this year we all kind of did it for James McGarry; it put the whole thing in perspective. When we lost Henry and Noel, it was time for some of the other players to step up to the plate and show some leadership. It was just a matter of fighting to the end.

"The goals were a big factor - to get two goals at the start of a match like that, it strikes a lot of fear into Limerick. I suppose they thought: 'aw, here they go again'."

It is a refrain of the nation. We keep asking how and Kilkenny kept explaining it. Brian Cody marched down the long lit corridor with Richie Bennis, his adversary of yesteryear. Richie looked tired for the first time all summer. Cody looked alert and satisfied and yet again, he tried to explain what it is that Kilkenny are about.

"Hurling is a terrific feeling. It doesn't matter about any other year. It is here. It is now. It is the moment. With half a minute to go, it is ours. That is savage. It is great crack. What else would you be doing? Ye think we are boring. But it is a hell of a thing and the supporters bring terrific elation. You cannot begin to touch that. It is just a terrific feeling and being involved with players who give it all, all of the time is serious.

"Because these are the very teams who continuously produce and that speaks volumes for them. I don't squeeze anything out of them - I wasn't playing out there. I didn't replace Henry or Noel. The players did." And now, for the second time in his reign, they are poised for a tilt at three All-Ireland titles in a row. It has proven an elusive quest. "I mean this. Three in a row does not mean a lot to me, " Cody declared. " I don't feel one bit of emotion about last year's All-Ireland final but I feel everything for this year. It is the time. It is the moment. I'm not obsessed with winning three in a row."

He smiled at the mention of the rendition of The Rose. It won't be released on CD but it was a fairly full-blooded moment in music. Cody didn't say whether he conducted.

"That is a special time for the players. They gave everything - it is just themselves and the four walls every night at training. And this is a phenomenal place for them. Just themselves. That means a hell of a lot to them. And they were all kinds of reasons, I won't go through them at all but it became a serious place, that dressing room. And they are serious players." Serious.