Liam Sheedy expects his Tipperary team to bounce back from their first defeat of the summer, as convincing as it was.
This was the first championship defeat he has suffered as manager since the 10-point loss to Cork in 2010 after which Tipperary went onto win an All-Ireland.
But recovering from this 12-point loss given the expectations their four-game winning run had generated, and having just 13 days to right themselves for Dublin or Laois, appears a bigger task.
Sheedy, though, insists his players are up to it.
“My lads, overall in Munster, four times they have gone to battle, and four times they have done very well. Just today we came up short, but we came up well short. Of course, it is a worry and we only have two weeks to turn it around but turn it around we will. There is a very, very good dressing room in there. There is a very very committed bunch. They are hurting right now but for us the healing process starts this evening.
“We have got to think about two weeks’ time and meeting significant opposition in an All-Ireland quarter-final. Previously, you could have found yourself when you would have been out of the competition, we now have an All-Ireland quarter-final to look forward to. That is going to be our sole focus now.
The menace and the method that Limerick have quickly grown a reputation for, that was so lacking 14 days previous, was clear and present here and Sheedy paid tribute to their forcefulness.
“We know from the tackle count they were just ferocious in the tackle.
“They had it at both ends. Up front, they worked us really hard and turned us over. The second goal they got came from a turnover and a ball we looked to be bringing out. They worked really hard off the ball and that is something we’ll have to learn from.
“In fairness in the four matches previous, our work-rate has been very good but today we just couldn’t find the levels, they had all the gears. When you are chasing and being outmuscled and outworked, they got in several blocks. We just didn’t seem to have our flow, we were blocked down a lot and a lot of those blocks led to scores. The time we nearly had a ball gone in the first half, it ended up in the back of the net.
“They are a very good side but we are better than what we showed today and are delighted we’ll get a chance to try and rectify that and look forward to that. The All-Ireland series starts now.”
If there is to be a response it will be sourced on the training field, insisted Sheedy.
“It’s all on the field. In fairness to this group, anything they were asked to do since November, they have gone about their business really well. We’ll go back this week, go at it again, the power of the group will really be seen over the next two weeks in the build-up to the match and looking to bring a performance.
“A lot of people in Tipperary would have been happy with the way these boys have applied themselves over the last number of weeks. It’s a low day today but the people of Tipperary will stand behind this team and we’ll look to go again another day.”
