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And we will never solve the Dubs v. Culchies argument.

Yes – but it's great fun. 

Well done Sligo!

An aside on the Deehan injury: play continued for some time as he lay on the ground. Eventually it was David Henry who stopped play by belting the ball out over the sideline. I can't be sure what his intention was but it looked to me by the casual way that he took the kick that he intended to stop play to allow Deehan to be seen.

When eventually Offaly took the sideline kick it was used to set up an attacking movement. I would have thought that the Offaly player taking the line ball should have kicked the ball down the line and out of play in the same spirit in which Henry seems to have acted.

Any thoughts?

Best of luck to Dublin in their quest for Sam, despite point 10 above. I think it would be good for Leinster for them to win it, and it would probably sate their hunger a bit as well. For us, it is back to the drawing board, and if some of the stories from the camp are true, it will be back to the drawing board with a lot of new faces.

Gracious as always AZ. Offaly have too strong a tradition to be away for very long. 

Anyone know who got man of the match. A difficult decision! I would have gone for Whelan. Ryan, Cahill and Cullen were the other contenders discussed around my bar stool last night.

David Henry got MOM

Well done to the Boys in Blue yesterday. They rose to the occasion both on the field and on the sideline.

They won't get carried away by the result – after all one swallow does not a summer make – but yesterday was a day to savour.

– we fully expect to do the job this time but if we don't there'll be nothing but satisfaction at a good start for the new management and eager anticipation of the qualifiers.

That's how Luke Dempsey felt about Longford's moral victory against the Dubs last year.

One swallow does not a summer make.

I'm happy with that team!

It looks like a vote of misplaced confidence in an outfit that struggled in nearly every line last week. Are they happy that they've dealt with the capability of all of Geraghty, Sheridan and Farrell to win their own ball in front of the goals? Have they dealt with the hole on the middle of the defence? How are the two midfielders who couldn't cope with Mark Ward last week going to manage it this time? Has Connolly now been blooded and is he ready to deliver a performance on Sunday that justifies keeping B. Brogan, Vaughan and Bonner out of the team?

And above all else, the Dublin management have shown their lack of a clue in persisting without a reliable free-taker. Vaughan should be in the team for the one reason that he's the nearest thing to a reliable free-taker in the panel. Whatever happens on Sunday, no team can go all the way without a 90% reliable free-taker. Even if Quinn were to slot 10 out of 10 this week (and we know he won't – it'll be x out of x in the first half and 0 out of y when the fat is in the fire) he's not the man for the job, long term.

You've left a few hostages to fortune there, Hardy. It seems that all Meath will have to do is turn up.

Roll on Sunday. 

I think also that the Dubs fans should give him the benefit of the doubt and not boo him at any stage next week.

Good idea .....

Hardy

I'm not one of those baying for Grahams blood and my intervention was simply to take issue with the way Cosgrove was being made out to be the villain of the piece. I'm inclined to agree with AZ that Cossie was simply (and rightly) drawing attention to the persistent fouling which the ref seems to have missed. If Henry had done that earlier, Graham would have to have been much more careful.

I must admit that I saw none of the fouls on Henry at the game – only later on TV.

Anyway for the replay I hope Graham is playing (or at least eligible to play). We don't want to hear any excuses after the event.

heavily gloved hand

Sorry, I think that is funny

I think what happened there is that the Dubs realised that GG was after hitting the corner back a few times, and they decided that the next time was going to be the last, because they were going to go down roaring. Of the 3 incidents, Cosgroves was by far the most harmless. but it received an inversely proportional reaction.

Any comments on GG's Ronaldo style wink to the sideline

If GG gets banned the Cosgrove should get douyble the ban cos that type of carry on is way more sickening to me.

That seems like a bizarre variation on the Shoot the Messenger theme.

The television replays showed clearly that Cosgrove was hit on the face by a heavily gloved hand and had every cause to go down.

At least there will be no calls to move the Louth/Wexford game to Parnell park

I was going into the ground about twenty minutes into the first game and there were still loads of Wicklow and Louth supporters ambling along Clonliffe Road. So much for dedicated supporters. I wonder how many of them didn't bother to show up at all? 

Great display by Meath on Sunday. Expectations of their supporters will be sky high going into the replay - just what the Dubs will want, I guess.

The Dublin football team 1991 - 1994

Dublin and Meath in front of a packed Croker – the summer is well and truly back!

I suppose we'll have a tight and hard-fought game (as is usual between us). Two years ago it took two long-range points from Mark Vaughan to seal it for us and I'd be quite happy with that again on Sunday. In the meantime, we live in hope.

Roll on Sunday – and come on the Dubs!