Joe Canning believes that losing to Wexford inspired Galway's first league crown in seven years but he insists that his team now have bigger goals in mind for this season.
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Galway lost out on promotion from Division 1B when they finished behind Davy Fitzgerald's side but will now going into their Leinster SHC quarter-final against Dublin as league champions.
"The big one for us is the 28th of May," Canning told RTÉ Sport after the Tribesmen's comprehensive final victory over Tipperary on Sunday.
"This is just another good competitive match on the way to that.
"The Wexford game was bad the way we lost it in the end, after being six points up twice.
"That was a bit of a kick up the arse I suppose we needed."
"We've been steady since then but it's only the league. Our biggest test is the 28th."
The three-time All Star forward admitted that getting the better of the side who claimed Liam MacCarthy would raise spirits but echoed his manager Micheál Donoghue in warning that Galway needed to find consistency.
"Any day you beat the All-Ireland champions it obviously gives you a confidence lift," he said.
"But we've been down this road before and it's just to back it up again.
"It's fine being good one day but we need to be better again the next day against Dublin.
"It is a nice platform to drive on but it's another five weeks until the Dublin game and a lot can happen in those weeks."
Cyril Farrell fancies Galway for the Liam MacCarthy Cup in September. #AllianzLeagues #AllianzLeagueSunday #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/tVwze4Fvcp
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) April 23, 2017
Although former manager Cyril Farrell believes Galway can go on to end their 29-year wait for the All-Ireland crown, Canning feels that there is still plenty of room for improvement
"We were playing in fits and starts throughout the league. We found it difficult at times to get a performance," the 28-year-old reflected.
"There was still a bit of sloppiness there. We've a lot of guys coming back and we're a little bit off it still.
"We're young. I'm one of the oldest on the team. We're a work in progress and it's just another step on the way to the Dublin game."
He also voiced concern at a 'crazy' fixtures programme that will see some members of the panel play 14 games between club and county in 16 weeks.
"We're back with our clubs next week and the week after," said the Portumna man.
"It's going to be eight out of nine weekends we've played consecutively and for some lads it's going to be 14 out of 16.
"The fixtures are a little bit crazy and it's important for us to try and stay as fresh as we can.
"Mentally, more so even than physically, it's hard to keep going week in, week out.
"I don't think professional players would be playing the amount of matches we are playing this time of the year."
