After Sunday's exciting semi-final victory over Cork, Galway hurlers will now aim to lift the county's ninth league title next Sunday, with old rivals Tipperary standing in the way.

After disputing the big prizes frequently and often rancourously throughout the late eighties and nineties, this will be the sides' first tango in a national final since Tipperary's All-Ireland win in 2001 and the first clash in a league decider since 2000, when Mattie Murphy's team overcame Nicky English's Tipp side by five points in Limerick.

English had enjoyed victory over the Tribesmen in the previous year's final.

With both counties forced to take backward steps from the top table in recent times, some of the heat has left the exchanges. Instead we should see an entertaining contest between two sides that seem to be on the up – and with an abundance of forward talent on display.

Ger Loughnane pointed to some slipshod finishing from the forward line in the wake of the draw with Tipp in Pearse Stadium in the group, something that was quickly remedied with free-scoring displays against Laois, Limerick and Cork.

For their part, Tipp seem less reliant than before on Eoin Kelly. Newcomers Seamus Callinan and Tommy Fitzgerald showed plenty of promise against Kilkenny on Sunday, while the pace of Lar Corbett is a constant threat.

But there is a growing feeling among Galway followers that the current panel is as talented a bunch as have represented the county in quite a while. A win on Sunday will go some way to justifying that belief.

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