The final score of 27-16 was brought about through the Blues' continued ill-discipline in the second half. The penalty count was lopsided in favour of the Stormers, but the Blues were unlucky to be penalised on a couple of occasions. That's usually the way in South Africa, however, and they will have to get used to it quickly before their final tour match against the Cheetahs next Sunday morning.
"It doesn't get any harder than that," Kirwan said. "For us, it was an incredibly brave effort but our discipline really let us down.
"The boys and I felt we were still in the game late, but our discipline let us down starting with that red card."
The Blues, perhaps with the Sharks' performance in beating the Crusaders with 14 men in Christchurch last year in mind, were still in it with 15 minutes to go. Cowan's try following a break by Charles Piutau and generous pass from Luke Braid, who was over the goal-line, narrowed the gap to 21-16 and the Stormers were beginning to tighten up, only to breathe a sigh of relief as Demetri Catrakilis and Kurt Coleman kicked them further ahead.
Kirwan said his side were exhausted afterwards, the numerical disadvantage taking its toll. Triggs will be suspended for at least one week, while Steven Luatua is also likely to be unavailable for round three after potentially dislocating his shoulder in the first half and leaving the field.
Kirwan believed his team, without a victory after two matches and second to last on the table, could take plenty out of their defeat. "I think they played their hearts out for each other so we can take that out of the game. We've got a pretty tired changing room.
"I felt the boys adjusted the game well. We kicked for territory but I just felt that even with 14 men we were still in the game with 15 to go. I don't know what was happening but the penalty count was something like 15-5. You can't win a football game with 14 men with that sort of penalty count against you."
He said he hadn't seen the footage of the Triggs incident, which appeared to leave Vermeulen with blood streaming from his nose, but had heard from his lock that it was a case of retaliation.
"He retaliated to an elbow to the nose," Kirwan said. "His nose was pretty messed up so he retaliated which you shouldn't do. We're just trying to get the footage to see what happened but you can't do that sort of stuff."
Stormers 27 (Nic Groom, Dillyn Leyds tries; Demetri Catrakilis con, 4 pens; Kurt Coleman pen).
Blues 16 (Jimmy Cowan try; Ihaia West con, 3 pens).
Halftime: 18-6.
