Brian Cody is targeting improvement after his Kilkenny side beat Galway to earn a third Leinster Hurling title in a row.
But the initial emotion for the Kilkenny manager at Croke Park on Saturday was relief and pride after watching his side secure a 0-22 to 0-15 victory.
"To be Leinster champions is terrific honour and something we want to achieve and also you get to the All-Ireland semi-final," Cody told RTÉ Sport.
"So it's always relief and you're always just very happy when you win.
"But also I'd be very, very proud of the complete attitude of the players throughout the game from start to finish.
🤝There was a bit of a wait but the sequel to the 'Handshake' did occur between Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin #RTEGAA #LeinsterFinal pic.twitter.com/GeChTXOBLq
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 4, 2022
"They applied themselves magnificently, they were a real team from the whole point of view of attitude, spirit, honesty and workrate and they're the things you build on and that was top class."
The provincial decider win propels the Cats straight into the All-Ireland semi-final on 2 July with the opposition to be discovered at a later date. But regardless of the identity of their last-four opponents, Cody was adamant that a step-up would be required from Kilkenny.
"It's essential that you improve. That's the nature of championships," he said.
"What won a Leinster final for us won't win an All-Ireland semi-final for us. We've discovered that the last two years and in other years as well."
Citing the previous two years, he added that "it wasn't like we weren't competitive" during those semi-final defeats to Cork and Waterford.
"We still didn't finish the job off," Cody continued.
"So that's the challenge now ahead of us to try and go that extra step."
Much of the focus ahead of the Leinster final was on Cody and Galway manager Henry Shefflin, a talismanic figure during the bulk of the Kilkenny boss' All-Ireland wins.
Their handshake after Galway's win in Salthill during the Leinster round-robin stage elicited much reaction as did Saturday's sequel.
But Cody played down the importance of his own status and the spotlight on the managers.
"I never consider myself as being somebody who should be anywhere with regard to our team," he said.
"The players win the games and everything happens on the field. I never look for any publicity or anything like that so I feel the same about things now.
"Our players are by far the most important thing that we have and also we would have huge respect for the teams we're playing at all times - players, management, everybody - so look, the game goes ahead."
