Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald is proud of his players and insists the gap between Kilkenny and Tipperary and the rest can be closed.
The Deise took a hammering off Tipperary in the Munster SHC final but Fitzgerald's men gave a good account of themselves on Sunday at GAA headquarters.
Fitzgerald told the Irish Mirror: "A lot of people thought we were absolutely going to get massacred and annihilated here again today. Sorry to disappoint some people.
"I am so proud of the guys it is unreal. Sometimes you need a bit of luck and things to go your way.
"If we are to beat Kilkenny we need everything to go our way."
Kilkenny scored a goal just before half-time that knocked the stuffing out of Waterford but the former Clare netminder believes that the score should not have stood.
He added: "With 31 minutes gone, we were two or three points down. John Mullane had the chance of a goal, missed it. Could've taken a point.
"Next thing there was a thrown hand pass and it's down in the net (for Kilkenny's second goal).
"That second goal will haunt me. To me, it changed the game."
The Sixmilebridge clubman believes that the gap between the big two and the rest can be closed.
He went on: "If we're to buy into them things, we might as well hand Tipperary and Kilkenny the All-Ireland every year. We have to believe we can get closer.
"And I know teams will. This will be broken, trust me. I said it a few years ago about Kilkenny, and it happened.
"Tipperary came and took up the mantle, fair play to them. Now there are two of them. We need another team or two to come as well."