NHL Division One B/ Galway 0-26 Tipperary 3-13: This was a promising return to form for Galway in what was a clean and attractive performance in an overwhelmingly "league" type of contest against Tipperary yesterday.

Ger Loughnane's enviable forward lines clipped 16 points from play to add to Eugene Cloonan's haul of 10 dead-ball scores and probably ought to have pushed themselves out of sight more easily. But, to the disappointment of the crowd, Tipperary lined out without Eoin Kelly. In addition, they arrived in the City of the Tribes having lost Darragh Egan with a fractured hand and several players performing despite being affected by a general bug.

"And we weren't drinking the Galway water either," quipped manager "Babs" Keating afterwards. Losing here means that for the second consecutive year, Tipperary will rely on random favours to book a passage through to the quarter-finals but Keating was not unduly bothered by this defeat. Playing a Galway team on song and in the sunshine, he expected a high-scoring afternoon and was pleased that his team trailed by just a point with four minutes remaining. They were at least in contention.

However, that position - which arose courtesy of a smart goal by Paul Kelly after Derek Hardiman appeared to be fouled in position - flattered the visitors slightly. Galway found the post with increasing ease, hitting 0-7 in 14 minutes following the break and notably, they responded to each of the Tipperary goals with scores of their own.

So there was no real surprise when they kept their poise after Kelly's late strike, with Cloonan landing a huge free from close to the sideline before the blooming Iarla Tannion and Fergal Healy shook the stands with two nice points to end the sport.

"Today we played the quality we expect to play," Loughnane declared. "But we never threatened their goalkeeper. He didn't have a save to make in 74 minutes. And we gave away three goals; two of which were juvenile mistakes in defence. And the lack of aggression in the full-back line is very worrying. We will look at that. And when Tipperary did come near again, we did score three points to pull away again."

Before the match, Loughnane mixed the team selection up as though it was a Rubik's Cube. The full-back line is clearly still a work in progress and although he is hardly a towering figure, Derek Hardiman looked happy patrolling the square here, sticking tight to big Danny O'Hanlon and reading the ball well. He had switched to the corner for Tipperary's second goal, a thrilling solo effort by substitute Eoin Kelly, who sped around Shane Kavanagh and somehow threaded a goal past James Skehill via the far post. Hardiman was switched on to the Mullinahone virtuoso straight away.

Elsewhere, John Lee was an obliterating force at centre back and at number 11, another key for Galway, Mark Kerins rewarded Loughnane's persistence with a glowing performance which included four crisp points. His brother, Alan, had another busy and intelligent game at midfield, but it was the inclusion of Portumna's Damien Hayes as his partner which proved a revelation.

"Damien Hayes has been playing corner forward all his life with Galway," explained Loughnane. "And a player gets stale in the one position. It is amazing what you can do if you change him around."

Hayes made the game unpredictable, most spectacularly in the 43rd minute when, having opted for a slightly flashy pick-up he found himself robbed by Paul Kelly. He stopped momentarily, stunned by the impudence and then promptly snatched the ball back from Kelly's stick and set up Richie Murray for a great point. A minute later, Cloonan bombed a huge free to leave it 0-17 to 1-9 and it seemed as if Galway would canter home.

Tipperary, though, had the reliable free-taking of Willie Ryan and Paul Kelly was a model of economy, landing 1-2 in the first half with three touches. They battled hard, with Paul Curran yielding nothing in open play to Cloonan and Benny Dunne and Eamonn Buckley gave solid performances. Conor O'Mahony started in terrific form but was on the back foot after Mark Kerins began to motor.

Eamonn Corcoran scored two beautiful sideline cuts in the first 20 minutes and his withdrawal through injury was a further disruption Tipperary could have done without. They kept in touch with a point here and there and the class of the Kelly brothers meant that the game stayed close and interesting. But it wasn't quite enough and now Tipperary need Galway to go and win against the Cats.

"Loughnane isn't a bad guy after all," grinned Keating. "I'll plead with him."

GALWAY: J Skehill; F Moore, D Hardiman, D Collins; S Kavanagh, J Lee, D Forde; A Kerins (0-2), D Hayes (0-2); I Tannion (0-3), M Kerins (0-4), R Murray (0-2); N Healy (0-2), E Cloonan (0-10, nine frees, one 65), K Broderick. Subs: F Healy (0-1)for Broderick (57 mins), D Joyce for Collins (69 mins), G Mahon for Kavanagh (70 mins).

TIPPERARY: G Kennedy; E Buckley, P Curran, A Byrne; E Corcoran (0-2, sideline), C O'Mahony, B Dunne; S Maher, H Maloney (0-1); T Scroope, F Devanney, S McGrath; W Ryan (0-6, frees), D O'Hanlon, P Kelly (2-2). Subs: J Woodlock for Corcoran (27 mins inj), E Kelly (1-0)for Scroope (half-time), R O'Dwyer (0-1)for Devanney(half-time), L Corbett for Maher, P Bourke (0-1)for O'Hanlon.

Referee: M Wadding(Waterford).