Galway manager Pádraic Joyce said he'd like to have his experienced heads to call upon in the league but noted that the younger crop were getting vital game-time in the furnace of Division 1.
The westerners secured a vital two points in Clones on Sunday, giving themselves some breathing room in the battle for safety, a glut of goals in the period leading up to half-time teeing them up for victory.
With A-list forwards Damien Comer, Shane Walsh and Matthew Tierney still sidelined, Rory Cunningham impressed on his full debut, scoring 1-03 from play.
Cathal Sweeney and John Maher were the other players to force home goals in a strange second quarter, Galway building up a six-point half-time lead on the curious scoreline of 3-04 to 0-07.
"When we're down at the foot of the table, with three points, two more gets us up to five, which is great," Joyce told RTÉ Sport's Pauric Lodge afterwards.
"I think the performance was probably okay. There was a lot I can pick out of it but lookit, we got three goals. We've a big man in there, Niall Daly, 6ft 4 and we got a bit of ball into him today and got the breaks off it.
"Rory Cunningham got his first proper start and stuck 1-03, played really well, took his chance.
"Goals win games. Last week, Derry got three goals against us. It was 15 scores to 14 today and we won the game by seven points."
Some of Galway's front-rank absentees are returning in dribs and drabs, the inspirational Seán Kelly back in his marauding role, scoring a fine point near the end. However, Tierney and Paul Conroy, neither of whom saw out the win in Omagh, are still unavailable.
"The training has never died down for us," insists Joyce. "We're focusing on further down the track in the championship. We're out in championship in five weeks time. We know where we're going. It would be nicer to get a few more lads back from injuries.
"We got Jack Glynn back in there today, we got another full game into Sean Kelly today, which is great. They're coming back slowly but surely.
"The problem is they're joining the back end (of the injury list) as well. Paul (Conroy) is still struggling. Mattie (Tierney) has joined the long list as well.
"It's a lot to manage, you'd like to have a bit more experience. But at the same time, you're getting more game-time into the young lads, Cillian Ó Curraoin, Liam Ó Conghaile, Patrick Egan. You can't buy that in training."
While five points may prove sufficient to deliver safety - should Roscommon and Monaghan fail to make further headway in the campaign - Galway are not quite out of the woods with daunting games against Dublin and Kerry to come.
In a forthnight's time, the All-Ireland champions arrive in Salthill, a prospect that excites Joyce enough to pine for his playing days. Though Galway's home record is notably underwhelming in comparison to their performances on the road.
"It's a brilliant test for us. We're really looking forward to it. It's a game you'd like to be playing yourself but we're a bit too old at this stage.
"Lads should be looking forward to it. We're going playing the best team in the country at the minute. We'll get the strongest team out that we can and try and get another point or two. Because I think we need another one or two to be safe in this Division yet.
"Sometimes, this team play better when their backs are to the wall. That's our fifth point on the road and we've none at home.
"Maybe the next home game, we might go up and stay in Athlone or something for the night and come back down."
