All-Ireland SHC Quarter-final/Tipperary v Offaly: Mike McNamara got his wish. It was an astute move on the Scarriff man's part to publicly embrace the notion of playing the strongest possible opposition in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

McNamara's forthright world view, the languorous nature of Offaly's erasing of Limerick last week and the unholy rumpus over the Whelahan misunderstanding all read like classic danger signs of an Offaly camp that is in the mood.

Tipperary will go into this game as favourites. Yet reassuring as their victory over Galway in Pearse Stadium was, it leaves a number of questions. Although the match, at 1-18 to 1-17, was relatively high-scoring and Galway's manic comeback gave it a thrilling veneer, this was not as stern a test as it might have been. It was, in fact, the biggest one-point victory of the season.

The first half was laced with pretty scores but it was a bloodless 35 minutes of hurling. And once Benny Dunne took his brilliant goal, Galway did their Hamlet act, disappearing within themselves to agonise until all was too late.

The worry from a Tipperary perspective was that they failed to kill off their opponents during that period and had Galway reacted just two or three minutes earlier, Tipperary could arguably have blown the game. That passive streak, that tendency not to inflict their will on the tempo of a game, is something that Tipperary will have to deal with immediately.

The Denis Byrne experiment did not work in Galway. Against that, Lar Corbett shed his skin, Benny Dunne quietened the is-he-an-attacker-or-defender debate with a revealing hour at midfield and Tipp put up a good score despite a muted afternoon from the prolific Eoin Kelly.

Michael Doyle has moved the wraith-like Corbett into full forward to see if his speed and agility bother Offaly's blue-collar hero Ger Oakley. The duel between David Franks, who was indomitable last time out, and Kelly will be of great consequence. It is difficult to see the irrepressible Kelly subdued on two successive championship days but the strong presence of Brian O'Meara in the other corner presents Offaly with a double threat.

Elsewhere, Tipp are content to confine Tommy Dunne to a holding role at centre-half back. John Carroll, truly excellent against Galway, was always going to return. It is unlikely that he will find the Offaly half-back line as stricken by his presence as Galway inexplicably became, however.

Sparks are certain to fly between Brian Whelahan and Conor Gleeson, two forces of nature, while the breakdown at midfield is a puzzle. How Tipperary's full back Paul Curran fares with the deft and light touch Joe Errity provides will also tell a tale.

With Eamon Corcoran motoring again and Carroll restored, Tipperary have the colour back in their faces again. A cameo from the bench may be more to Denis Byrne's liking here.

Offaly are a delicious prospect, though. This is a perfect situation for them, heading up to the capital in good fettle and as outsiders. Given space against Limerick, they again demonstrated their beautiful flicks and touches that can make them such a joy to watch. Brian Carroll has been a find but can Brendan Murphy hope to mine anything like the splendid return of 1-3 that he posted against Limerick?

Players like Michael Cordial have added a freshness to the team and this is a much stronger team than that which narrowly lost the Leinster semi-final to Wexford.

But to win here there is the sense that they will have to pull off the unlikely heroics Offaly have patented.

Tipperary's hopes are grounded in more fundamental sources. Despite the seismic loss of Philip Maher, they have a settled and honest defence, even if it did concede 1-3 to Galway in a matter of three minutes. With players like Mark O'Leary, Kelly, the Dunne brothers and Carroll, they have a healthy variety of natural score takers.

We have to assume they are over the shock of Clare but even so, there may remain a chink of emotional vulnerability in their psyche. This is not a year of great expectations within the Premier County and that can impact upon a team.

Offaly's mood will be that of traditional optimism and rebellion. They will not be far away and a win would hardly be a shock. But Tipperary represent a safer bet and it is hard to envisage a semi-final series without them.