Richie O'Neill was satisfied with Galway's efforts in their defeat to Cork, which came under the shadow of a family tragedy for manager Henry Shefflin.
Shefflin was not at Páirc Ui Chaoimh after his brother Paul (41) died suddenly while out running on Friday.
Galway battled with Cork all the way but eventually lost the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 encounter by 1-26 to 0-23.
"Obviously we would have loved the result to go differently," coach and selector O'Neill told RTÉ Sport.
"To come down here after that event, get 23 points, though 18 wides really hurt us, against a team of Cork's calibre that are flying in the league was really strong.
"For the events that went on we were really proud of them. They applied themselves really well but we could never get it back to three points.
"Cork always had us at arm’s length in fairness to them. They’re an excellent team with the ball and they’re well down the road."
O'Neill suggested Galway were prioritising new players over results but still saw encouraging signs compared to the six-point defeat to Wexford that had followed a win over All-Ireland champions Limerick.
"We had a game two weeks ago we were happy with, last weekend we weren’t. We looked for an improvement and I think we got definitely got that from the players.
"They really took the game to Cork and went at that. We have looked at 33 players in the league, two new starters today, two 18-year-olds.
"A midfielder (Ronan Glennon) getting five points from play, a wing-forward (Tom Monaghan) four from play. We have new people on the panel starting to stand up and push the incumbents."
O'Neill knew three-time club All-Ireland winner Paul Shefflin, having worked as part of Henry's Ballyhale management team.
"It was shocking to get the call yesterday, the tragedy that had come on Paul, Ballyhale and the Shefflin family.
"An absolutely brilliant chap. I got involved with Ballyhale with Henry in 2018 and Paul was just a real rock-steady solid guy in the parish and in the club.
"He carried the hurleys for us in the senior team. If you were looking for a dig out to make 15 v 15 in an internal game he'd tog out and play and was as competitive as ever.
"He was a really good guy in the community. He has young kids now and was involved in training the underage in the club.
"One of those guys you need around in every club and for something like that to happen is just unthinkable really, for his wife Aoife and his four kids it's unthinkable.
"It makes you rethink things definitely. We all get caught running around, stressing about things that maybe aren’t worth stressing about.
"In Ballyhale, when I was there for the two years there were other tragedies (as well). We used to say that life can be cruel but sport is our outlet."
"A really, really sad time for Ballyhale, the whole of Kilkenny and all hurling people everywhere."
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 5, 2022
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody on the passing of Paul Shefflin.#RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/Lcvv9QDJ8p
Cork manager Kieran Kingston was understandably "happy with the result" of a game his side led all the way without ever fully closing the door. The victory confirmed their place in the league semi-finals.
"I think we dug it out, I don't think we hit the heights of last week at all," he said.
"But Galway are a top side and they have had a tough couple of days. We always knew it would be an emotional performance coming from them and rightly so because of the sadness and tragedy that they have had.
"Our record against Galway in the league is not good, over the last decade, so to get the victory we’re really happy.
"I thought we were always in control of the game without ever really putting it away. We always had a few points (to spare) but you’re always concerned if they got a goal then suddenly it’s game on.
"The goal was a critical score for us. It was pleasing to see we went for goals another couple of times, the last pass didn’t stick but we wouldn’t discourage that."
The Patrick Horgan fan club was in good voice after tonight's game! pic.twitter.com/qcGbEipfab
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) March 5, 2022
