Yes, Laois were so completely deplorable at O'Moore Park a fortnight ago that any half-decent club team would have fancied their chances against them and yes, it was only a challenge match that Galway travelled to Kilsheelan for last Sunday. But Tipperary have now won two games in a row. An acorn from which a great oak will not grow but a modest oak can.

They have Micheál Webster back as well. Stick him on the edge of the enemy square, submerge him with high ball and tell the corner-forwards - Eoin Kelly hit 2-4 from play in Kilsheelan - to stay handy for the crumbs. It worked for the first half of last year's All Ireland quarter-final.

Varying the approach can be a worry and a priority for another day.

Talking about worries for another day, one doesn't have to possess an MA in misanthropy to view Babs's decision to bring in Nicky English as being less than a ringing endorsement of his own managerial set up and the coaching capabilities of same. On the other hand, a win here and people will be falling over themselves hailing it as a masterstroke. So it goes.

The stats favour Tipperary. In 35 league meetings, they've beaten today's opponents 27 times. Ten years - 10, not 11 - have passed since Offaly last appeared at this stage of the competition. "There's something happening in Offaly hurling, " a satisfied though not overexcited John McIntyre declared last Sunday evening.

There is. But not enough, and not quickly enough, for them to win this one.

Verdict Tipperary LIMERICK vWATERFORD Semple Stadium, 4.00 Referee D Kirwan (Cork) If there's something happening in Offaly hurling, there's definitely something happening in Limerick hurling. Five outings in the 2006 NHL to date, three of them won, none of them lost and a trophy picked up beforehand to boot. How heartening that they haven't yet collapsed under the burden of being one of the Tribune's two prospective winners of the competition.

One was wary on their behalf in Casement Park a fortnight ago. One was foolish to be wary. Having taken in the Munster v Perpignan match at Lansdowne Road like good Limerick men should have, they didn't actually - contrary to an elaborate April's Fool joke perpetrated back home - travel by helicopter from Dublin to Belfast later in the evening, but they did do a comprehensive job on Antrim next day. Unlike with Waterford, no caveats surround their progress to the quarter-finals.

If Joe McKenna's team are to uproot any trees come the championship, where reaching an All Ireland semi-. nal is a realistic ambition, they won't do so without goals from Andrew O'Shaughnessy and points from Mark Keane. With Brian Begley sited between the pair, this is as threatening a full-forward line as Limerick can field. But Donie Ryan looks wildly misplaced at centre-forward; a pity Seán O'Connor, one of the five players to be culled from the panel lately, isn't around to supply the cutting edge he does on his best days.

Were the outcome to be decided by pure natural talent alone, Justin McCarthy's side would win with something to spare. But common sense suggests the outcome is rather more likely to be swayed by those less glamorous virtues.

Hunger, determination, application, resilience, stickiness. In which case, Limerick should do it.

Verdict Limerick

DIVISION 2 PROMOTION SEMI-FINAL DUBLIN vWESTMEATH O'Moore Park, 2.00 Referee D Connolly (Kilkenny) Fine effort by Westmeath seven days ago in Scotstown, where 14 men hit six late points without reply against a stiff wind to beat Derry. Shouldn't be much in it today. But this is the sort of test Tommy Naughton's troops need to show they can overcome.

Verdict Dublin

DIVISION 2 RELEGATION SEMI-FINAL KILDARE vWICKLOW Dr Cullen Park, 3.30 Referee J Owens (Wexford) Both . nished bottom or jointbottom of their respective qualifying groups. Kildare look to have more about them.

Verdict Kildare

DIVISION 3 PROMOTION SEMI-FINALS DONEGAL v LONGFORD Kingspan Breffni Park, 2.00 Referee T Mahon (Fermanagh) Both had similar records in the qualifying phase, winning three of their four outings. Anyone's guess.

Verdict Longford

ARMAGH v LOUTH Castleblaney, 3.30 Referee F Smith (Meath) Armagh notched up a plus-50 scoring difference in topping their group. Impressive going.

Verdict Armagh

SHIELD SEMI-FINALS CAVAN v SLIGO Enniskillen, 1.45 Referee M Mulholland (Derry) Has to be Sligo. They're better than this.

Verdict Sligo

LEITRIM v TYRONE Enniskillen, 3.30 Referee J O'Rourke (Monaghan) Should be Tyrone.

Verdict Tyrone