There are always parallels. When Tommy Dunne considers the last time that Tipperary and Wexford met in the championship, it was the Leinster side that was considered hot property.

"We really hadn't been going all that well, we were beaten by Clare in Munster and couldn't seem to get it going, whereas Wexford had just defended their Leinster title.

"I don't think anybody expected too much of us so we went out there with no real pressure and managed to hurl at our best. So we are very conscious of the flip side of that situation materialising on Sunday."

Wexford's metamorphosis against Limerick leaves the Munster kingpins with a tricky proposition. After their Munster final, everyone in Tipperary had immense respect for Limerick and expected them to advance far in the championship. But Dunne felt that the general breeziness towards Wexford was misguided.

"To be honest, Limerick could well have been Munster champions by a point but for a few small breaks. And honestly, the respect we have for that team is incredible. Most people expected Wexford to be pushed aside based on the Leinster final and they were bad against Kilkenny but it was obvious that they were a far superior side than that day suggested.

"So we watched their match against Limerick with absolutely no preconceptions about who would win and are not that surprised to find ourselves facing Wexford. They are a big, strong team with a variety of target men and were always likely to score goals.

"They were perhaps motivated by the dismissive attitude that prevailed and then had the injection of the younger players and really, I think it is fair to say that they are a completely different outfit now."

Tipperary has introduced a number of under-age players on a gradual basis with telling effect. Wexford's inclusion of four of their under-21 side in the team that beat Limerick was inspired by the urgent transfusion of fresh talent.

"As it turned out, those changes were very influential," remarks Dunne. "It was a big game for those young lads and they responded exceptionally well. Nicky Lambert caused untold trouble in around the square, Darren Stamp is a fine proposition but also, they blended in seamlessly with the more senior members of the side.

"They never got a break against Kilkenny and once the ball ran for them the last day, they remind everybody of what they were capable of. And obviously the Damien Fitzhenry threat gives them a whole new dimension. The 21-yard frees might be interesting the next day."

The Tipperary captain agrees that his Tipp colleagues have been keen to resume their quest for an All-Ireland that would bridge a 10-year fallow period and says there is a question mark regarding how the period of inactivity will effect them.

"Obviously, as a squad we continue to train hard but we just don't know how it will impact on us until we play. That's always the way after a lay-off. But, that said, a number of our players have been incredibly busy at club level and in the under-21 championship so there has been plenty of hurling between the Munster final and now."

Since that intense provincial drama, the season seems to have been dominated by football. The new system has seen football recapture the popular imagination in much the same way as hurling did in the mid-1990s. The effect has been to push hurling more to the periphery and a series of flat matches did not help the sports image.

"Undeniably, hurling has taken second stage this year," says Dunne. "I think that Westmeath, really, has made the football championship. Their emergence really endorses the new system, despite the unfortunate scenario of the two provincial champions losing out to those teams they already defeated.

"Now, by nature, hurling will always be less varied than football in terms of teams competing but I think the Wexford-Limerick game has really revitalised this season, you know, a thrilling game with an unbelievable finish. And I think we will see more fine matches before the season is done."

A win will be Dunne's sole concern, the less dramatic the better. Although many enjoyed Wexford's rebirth, few are convinced that it will be enough to end Tipp's season.

"They will be very tough to get the measure of. This is a team with promising new players and experience going back to 1996. Ands the belief they have in themselves will be soaring after Limerick."