Irrespective of the degree to which the All Ireland champions would have constituted a significant prize for the visitors, a Galway win when the Kilkenny forward line was functioning just about adequately would have held out ample scope for pulling wool over eyes. As it was, the losers simply didn't have enough players who made a difference when the screws were turned in the closing 20 minutes. Damien Hayes was adrift both at midfield and wingforward. Iarla Tannian, Niall Healy and Eugene Cloonan were rarely relevant. To observe, meanwhile, that Alan Kerins and Richie Murray scored two points apiece is to miss the bigger picture. Neat touches here and there . . . the one department, let's face it, in which Galway have not been found wanting in recent years . . .are by themselves not enough.

Points picked off from the fringes are not the bricks and mortar of consistent success. They need men (such an enduringly favourite word of Loughnane's) who direct matches as opposed to decorate them.

Machine-gunners, not snipers. Yet other than John Lee, seven days ago they didn't showcase anyone we didn't know about beforehand.

One way of bottom-lining last Sunday is to say that Galway were given a view of the gap that separates them from the top of the mountain and of the trek that must be travelled to reach it. If nothing else, they'll be wiser for the glimpse.

Hearteningly, Wexford have found a groove lately under John Meyler.

Despite the opportunity it gives them to stretch their limbs against unfamiliar opponents, however, this game is likely to be a played at a pace that will "nd them out.

Verdict Galway TIPPERARY vWATERFORD Nowlan Park, 3.40 Referee M Haverty (Galway) An interesting if not particularly relevant statistic to begin with. Of the counties' 30 NHL encounters since 1935-36, Tipp have won 25 and Waterford four, the sole draw occurring three years ago. A Waterford win, then, will run very much against the tide of the relationship. An interesting and rather more relevant statistic to continue with. Today's Tipperary lineup contains no fewer than nine changes from the side that disposed of Offaly at the same stage of last year's competition, with only Hugh Moloney and Eoin Kelly occupying the same positions here. Babs, clearly, is in a mood for experimentation.

Kudos to him for that, but one possible . . . albeit slight . . . danger has to be noted: a heavy defeat for this afternoon's combination before the end of the competition would leave the county's optimum 2007 championship XV almost as much a matter of froth and bubble as the 2006 version was this time 12 months ago.

Waterford? We can't see them being overly bothered by this fixture.

They weren't against Limerick in last season's quarter-"nal. And when history repeats itself, it's not always in the form of either tragedy or farce.

Verdict Tipperary DIVISION 2 QUARTER-FINAL DERRY v KILDARE Clones, 3.40 Referee J McGrath (Westmeath) No major inferences to be drawn from the fact Derry were third in their group or Kildare second in theirs.

Verdict Kildare DIVISION 3 QUARTER-FINALS LOUTH v TYRONE Clones, 2.0 Referee T Mahon (Fermanagh) Verdict Louth DONEGAL v LONGFORD Markievicz Park, 3.30 Referee J O'Rourke (Monaghan) Verdict Longford