Eoin Cody declared that Kilkenny deserved more respect and were relishing another chance to take on Limerick after beating Clare in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final rematch.
"We're a good team," the Ballyhale forward, who bagged 1-05 from play, told RTÉ Sport after the three-point win. "I don't think a lot of people give us credit.
"We are where we deserve to be at the end of the day.
"We're going to go again in two weeks' time, we can't wait."
Clare fought back from five down at half-time to lead in a rollercoaster encounter but the Ballyhale man scored a crucial 55th-minute goal to turn the tide.
"It was evident our work-rate dropped a bit," he said of Clare's purple patch.
"Our work-rate in the first half was incredible and probably not possible to hold for 70 minutes.
"In those few minutes when we dropped, we had to steady the ship a bit.
"We got a turnover for the goal. That was work-rate and the goal is obviously a big boost: we just drove on from there."
Do Kilkenny get enough credit? Man of the match Eoin Cody doesn't seem to think so. pic.twitter.com/YdoxyE8Vt7
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 9, 2023
Derek Lyng introduced four multiple All-Ireland winners off the bench as Kilkenny held out to set up a repeat of last year's final on 23 July.
"For any young player coming into the team and you're keeping the likes of [Cillian] Buckley and Padraig [Walsh] on the bench... and Wally as well," said Cody (22).
"Some of the best hurlers to ever play the game and you're coming in as a young lad and getting a starting number. You don't take it for granted any day you go out."
But the biggest impact made by a veteran was that of Eoin Murphy, who produced a stunning save to deny Peter Duggan an equalising goal.
"That save was crazy. He has done it time and time again but to do it at such a clutch moment in an All-Ireland semi-final...
"What a keeper and what a man. We're thrilled to have him in our goal."
