Galway have the firepower

All-Ireland MHC/ Semi-final: After stuttering to their third Munster title in a row, Tipperary will have to raise their game to another level to beat Galway in tomorrow's All-Ireland minor semi-final at Croke Park.

The Munster championship had a surprisingly off-colour look to it this year, with Waterford and Limerick and Cork failing to really push Paddy McCormack's side.

Although Shane Long did net two goals in the provincial final an over-reliance on the scoring exploits of Richie Ruth doesn't inspire confidence either in their chances of overcoming the Tribesmen.

McCormack has made four changes from the win over Cork, with Brendan O'Sullivan and Brendan Hanley coming into defence, while Shane O'Brien and Dara Hickey will look to boost the attack.

If Long and David Sheppard can assist Ruth in the scoring stakes they can conceivably progress to meet the winners of Cork and Kilkenny.

Galway's major disadvantage is a familiar one: they are as yet untested. They hardly broke sweat in trouncing Antrim 5-19 to 2-7 in the quarter-finals.

However, forwards Aongus Callanan and Derek Reilly both look capable of troubling any defence. Callanan, especially, is one to watch as he claimed a hat-trick of goals against the Ulstermen.

They couldn't ask for a better guide to the underage holy grail than manager Mattie Murphy, who has already led the county to All-Ireland success at this level, in 1994.

To write off any Tipperary hurling side is a perilous move but if Galway hit the high notes they should get past this far from vintage group.

TIPPERARY (MH v Galway): D Egan; B O'Sullivan, S Ryan, P Stapleton; B Hanly, N Teehan, C Hayes; K Bergin, R McGrath; S Long, D Sheppard, D Morrissey; R Ruth, S O'Brien, D Hickey.

GALWAY (MH): A Ryan; B Linnane, G Mahon, D Kennedy; R Whyte, J Lee, M Donnellan; D Kelly, C Burke; N Callanan, D Garvey, M Nestor; D Reilly, A Callanan, N Healy.