Brian Cody was confronted with mixed feelings at full-time on Saturday night.
He had watched his side get out-fought and out-hurled by Wexford at Nowlan Park, as they succumbed to a four-point defeat.
However, the Cats got what they came for, as Galway's victory over Dublin in Salthill ensured they sealed a Leinster final berth.
"I'm disappointed with the display, disappointed with the result. We didn't come here to think about results anywhere else. We came here to play a huge game against Wexford, and we came out second best," Cody reflected at full-time.
"Obviously it's a round-robin we've taken part in, so the way results pan out decides who goes where. We were beaten tonight which of course we're disappointed over but we are in the Leinster final in two weeks' time against Galway. We need to improve, certainly on tonight's performance.
"We'd prefer to be going in on our own terms tonight rather than going in depending on another result. But two weeks' time, Galway, Leinster final, Croke Park, massive game."
Ultimately, he knows that his team were second-best.
"We knew coming in tonight was going to be a massive game for both teams and a massive challenge for ourselves. Wexford won the battle," he said.
"Hurling is a game of inches and seconds. Anything can happen. Four points is not a big lead at all. We had a chance for a goal near the end and it was kept out somehow. But overall it would be very difficult for us to argue that we deserved to win the game.
"At the end of the day there was very little between the teams but like I said, it would be very, very hard to argue that we deserved to win the game."
Galway await in the provincial decider, with Cody's former student Henry Shefflin now leading the Tribesmen.
"We know what we're facing. Obviously, we'll go away and have a look at tonight's game, think about it and see where we go from here," he said.
"There's a great similarity with many of our players. Our challenge and responsibility is to get the right formula on the field to try and be competitive in the Leinster final."
Delaney: Kilkenny lucky that results went their way
Former Kilkenny star JJ Delaney says that the Nore-siders are lucky that other results went their way.
"They only got four points from play in that second half, the rest of them were from frees," said the Sky Sports pundit.
"If you score four points from play [in a half] in any intercounty game, you don't deserve to win the game. So they're going to have to have a hard look at themselves. They've a few weeks to dust themselves down.
"I think they're going to have to take a couple of days to reflect on what happened out there [against Wexford]. They won't be happy with what happened, but they'll have a couple of weeks to rectify it.
"I said before the game, I was worried about Wexford because they had to win this game. Kilkenny had an 'out'. But they were lucky they had it to use, because if Dublin had won, Kilkenny would be out of the championship. So I think that's what Brian is going to remind the guys over the next few days."