The wise man from the west is smiling. John O'Mahony's thoughts have been wound back to the half-time break, a lifetime ago. Another torrential rain-spill hovering overhead, the Lilywhites spread palely across the field and a no-show by Galway. Slow hand-claps from various corners of the stadium. Maroon fears that their team would suffer as fatally as Dublin for their tardy time-keeping.

Paddy Russell, the referee, strides pointedly towards the tunnel to shoo the maroon men back onto the field. Then Padraig Joyce leads them back through the tunnel, ambling and relaxed. Eleven seconds after the restart, Galway land their fifth point, a bullet from Paul Clancy.

"Well, the modern motto is that if you lose a match, there was a row in the dressing room at half-time and if you win, there was a great speech," says O'Mahony.

"Really, there was very little of either. We were very calm. We'd played poorly and knew we had to lift it. I have tremendous admiration for these Galway lads, you have to say very little to them. One thing we did say is that we were in the same situation here two years ago. So there was no panic. It was a matter of keeping it together and getting the few scores that made the difference."

Galway captain Padraig Joyce was at the heart of those scores. He has emerged as the quiet saviour of the team, delivering seven points yesterday, including two deftly-struck frees that gave the side a late and well-timed lead. Not for him a swaggering re-living of the moments.

"Ah, there was no nerves there, no. We hit a couple to get in front and then we got the one outside the 45. I was gonna take it myself but then Michael [Donnellan] stepped up and kicked it over. It was a great score. But we're just delighted. I hope we can win it for Jar now. You have for feel for the guy, he has stuck with us even though he can't train."

Two years ago, Ja Fallon was the hottest property in Croke Park. With any luck, it would have been the same yesterday. But his name still spills forth from all corners. It's nothing to do with the 15 on the field, they insist. Galway is about 30 players.

The most loquacious of those, Ray Silke, draws tape recorders to his words. The 1998 captain has had another fine 70 minutes, crew-cut and assured throughout the dark, greasy afternoon. There is a simple explanation.

"As you can see, L'Oreal gave me a sponsorship deal on the hair. Got £5,000 but the key to it was we had to win. So yeah, the short back and sides did it. Ah, I was lucky enough, the conditions probably suited me - slippy ball, wet day. Wouldn't fancy Mike Frank Russell or Diarmuid Marsden so much. But we'll cross that bridge when we come from it. It's great to be back all right, we've a good young squad here. There's David Tierney now, back in an All-Ireland. And I hope . . . I hope he gives me some hair."

Silke has seen and learned since the days of '98, remembers life after the dances and speeches finally dried up. Noted that in this sporting world, immortality has a shelf-life of a few months.

"I don't mind criticism if it is objective," he says. "But we got a lot of subjective criticism last year, even from our own supporters. Possibly we deserved some of it, we were badly beaten by Mayo. But you've got to take it all with a pinch of salt. A winner today, a loser next week."

You could sing those sentiments across the corridor. It has been a crashing end to the latest all-white carnival. Twice or more, the future shone like a beacon for Kildare but, as was the case two years ago, Galway blacked out their hopes with ruthless efficiency. It is tough to have to revisit that old ghost yard when trying to make sense of this latest loss. Willie McCreery tries to put words on this fresh hurt.

"This is equally as disappointing. We were still going for the same goal. I suppose it's only a game when all is said but it's still very hard to take."

Glen Ryan is one of the last to leave the Kildare dressing-room, head-bowed, words tricking lowly and scarce. "What was in it when we were a point up? A few minutes. And then they scored three frees? Says enough I think. Ah, the best of luck to Galway, they are a fine side. I know a few of the lads and I wish them the best of luck. The reason we came through games up to now was that we worked hard. Unfortunately today that just wasn't enough for us."