John Kiely insists that Limerick will be back challenging for All-Ireland titles after their two in a row hopes were ended at the semi-final stage.
Favourites on Saturday night to progress to the final, the Shannonsiders fought back strongly but ultimately were undone by a dreadful opening 25 minutes.
"We've had a very good season," reflected Kiely, who last year led Limerick to a first All-Ireland triumph since 1973.
"The lads have worked extremely hard, they've enjoyed it, every bit of the way we've enjoyed it.
"The boys are very disappointed obviously now because there was a huge prize at stake tonight and it's not to be.
"But that defeat won't define that group. I think if anything, it will strengthen the resolve in this group to come back again.
"They're a young bunch, they're very ambitious, very united and I've no doubt that they'll come back again and they'll challenge here in the future."
Kiely added that Limerick had their eyes open going into the clash with Kilkenny in terms of the level of intensity that was required to beat them twice in the All-Ireland series in two summers.
"Listen when you play Kilkenny you know what you're going to get," he said.
"We pride ourselves on our work-rate, Kilkenny pride themselves on their work-rate, our boys wouldn't shirk away from that level of intensity.
"We pride ourselves on trying to be in the ascendancy in levels of intensity during the game, and that's the challenge that was laid down before us - it was a significant challenge, and I think we responded in a very defiant way.
"We refused to go away. There were periods when we could have just downed tools and said, 'To hell with it, we've enough done', but the boys dug in and fought and fought and fought to the very end, and on another night it could have gone to extra time".
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