Lone footfalls echo through the corridors of Saint Bridget's school in Loughrea. Though it is early August, Micheal Bond is in by 10 o'clock. Unframed timetables dance through his mind, eclipsing myriad, half-realised images of Offaly in Croke Park and, at some stage during the day, he has to find time to check on the French student exchange programme.

In these hesitant times his office, solid and familiar, is something of a sanctuary. All across the country, the hurling gossip spins around Ger Loughnane's latest text but Michael Bond, principal of St Bridget's, brings no newspapers to work.

"Don't read them, simply don't have time. I've never met Ger but have always had great respect for him as a player. He was a fine player, you know. It's a pity to say it but Clare and Offaly have been in the news for the wrong reasons of late. I think both teams will go out there and serve up a classic."

Bond speaks in measured, soothing tones, the antithesis of Ger Lougnane's scorching, unbridled rhetoric. He bears the manner of a man not easily ruffled by calamity, the sort of disposition required to settle the tumultuous nerves around Offaly in the aftermath of Babs Keating's departure.

"I was tempted by Offaly mainly because I sympathised with their predicament, I thought it was hard for the players. The first evening, there was no talk of moods or anything. We just hurled for two and half hours and the lads really enjoyed it."

Bond's character has been shaped by hurling. Although some of his current charges admitted to knowing little about him, his silvery name threads through many of Galway hurling's brighter stories.

Bond is of Ardrahan stock, a secluded hurling parish on the city side of Gort, a place that holds a strong affinity with the citizens of north Clare and a warm rivarly with nearby Offaly teams like St Rynagh's. He grew up to the tune of cracking hurleys.

"No-one rejoiced more than the people of south Galway when Clare won the All-Ireland in 1995," he says candidly. "We felt part of it and couldn't help but marvel at the passion they showed. It's amazing that they have managed to maintain that hunger because, while the returns have been good, the self-discipline and sacrifice involved is incredible. Social life, even work - so much suffers as a result."

He feels Clare's indomitable unity is the basis for their relative longevity and in the eyes of most people, tomorrow's game will offer an intriguing contrast in attitudes, with a Clare team bound by a raging solidarity facing an Offaly side who at times seemed to be suffering something approaching championship ennui.

How does their manager feel about that portrayal? "Certain things about this Offaly team have been overlooked. As well as possessing a terrific defence, they are very skilful players. There are players on this team who have All-Irelands, remember.

"And you hear about Offaly having no pride. Daithi Regan has probably exacerbated his leg injury because he couldn't be held back from training. We'll miss him now. John Troy was in a car crash last week and turned up for training a few days later. These lads have tremendous pride. Don't forget that the last time they met Clare was the 1995 All-Ireland final, when they were going for the two in-a-row."

Since accepting the Offaly position, Micheal Bond has become too familiar with the meandering road towards Tullamore. Sometimes in the midst of training an evening in 1983 presents itself fleetingly, when he stood on the sideline watching his Galway under-21 players surge to an All-Ireland title win over Tipperary.

The sweetness still lingers. His pedigree is purest maroon, from his playing days with the minors and seniors in the late '60s, when Galway hurled in Munster - "the county had some beautiful hurlers then, we just lacked a bit of structure" - through to management.

He had always coached in Ardrahan and took the county under-21s to the threshold of an All-Ireland in 1982 before the subsequent success. He also stepped in as senior manager in 1983. A year later he took charge of the junior side and 10 summers ago he trained the minor team. But with his appointment as principal of St Bridget's, he was forced to view life through a different prism. His hurling contributions were confined to the VEC. (Galway have won eight VEC titles in-a-row).

Throughout that time, his philosophy on the sport has changed little and minutes into his first session in Tullamore he demanded that due homage be paid to the ground stroke. "It's part of Offaly's game, it's just a matter of bringing out their old style. If you give a good, direct ball into a forward, he has a better chance of getting it. It's effective."

Immediately after Offaly had beaten Antrim in the All-Ireland quarter-final, Michael Bond leaned against the walls in the corridor beneath the Hogan Stand and exhaled glad relief. His team, true to their summer, hadn't hurled with any great dash but they had won.

Gave him time. Since then, the days have evaporated with mischief, demanding exhaustive preparation. Already, the All-Ireland final training schedules have been drafted. They'll be fire scraps if Offaly lose tomorrow, but best be ready.

"I think it's going to be a tough, close, game, not very high-scoring. Clare have a great fitness level and play as a machine almost. They are lucky in that they have built around the same 17 or 18 guys. But Offaly are going up to Croke Park in the belief that they will win a hard game and go on to the All-Ireland final."

And if that happens, goodwill will this time flow from Ardrahan across the lonely border towards Offaly.