West awake to the here and now

For a pairing as drearily familiar as this in a League final, there's a fair bit happening beneath the surface. Although the sides met at the same stage last year, each show no fewer than seven changes (although a couple are enforced) from the line-ups of 12 months ago.

In a way it's not surprising given that the only accurate indicators from that final were reflected in the fate of both sides when they met Clare in the championship: they should have won the first day and got hammered in the replay. A year later both appear to have improved considerably, although definitive judgment awaits the summer.

Galway have been more assured in their progress. The Gantley brothers have been useful additions, Cathal Moore is restored to his best position, and Fergal Healy has scored freely. They will miss Eugene Cloonan tomorrow, but Matt Murphy has the panel to cope with what they hope is a temporary loss.

Maybe the team is short a bit of physical presence in the front eight with a fast, nimble inside line lacking physical focus, although Mark Kerins and Joe Rabbitte provide options on the half-line.

The defence is more of a conundrum and Waterford managed some good scores in the semi-final whereas Limerick made alarming incisions in the divisional match.

In Tipperary's favour is that they may have a new full back in Philip Maher (and if they don't it's too late). He has played particularly well on bigger full forwards and so Ollie Fahy will present a different challenge.

The loss of Andy Moloney is very hard luck on a player who, as manager Nicholas English has emphasised, has worked extremely hard to establish himself on the team. Otherwise Tipperary have certain things going for them: Michael Ryan's high-quality return at corner back, the growing quality of the half-back combination, Tommy Dunne's 24-carat dead-ball striking and Mark O'Leary's apparently effortless productivity on the wing.

The one concern - and it becomes more serious as the stakes rise - is that they appear to need an awful lot of the play to make it count.

Galway have been getting scores at an impressive rate but conceding them at a correspondingly unimpressive rate. Tipperary have been less prolific at either end. But Galway have momentum and fewer distractions which is a good - if tenuous - enough reason to believe they will deliver.