GAELIC GAMES/Dublin v Derry: Like Waterford tomorrow, Dublin can sense the quickening pulse that comes with opportunity. Like their Munster hurling counterparts, they are also being projected into a contest - a Bank of Ireland All-Ireland semi-final with Kerry - for which they, and indeed their putative opponents, have not yet qualified.

The similarities don't end there, but rather than labour them, it's worth bearing in mind the caution that if the Leinster champions were vulnerable to last year's Mayo team then no-one's world should be rocked by the thought of Derry springing an upset.

But back within the constraints of expected performance levels and form to date Dublin deserve to be favourites.

Unlike last year, the path through Leinster has been more demanding. It's not disrespectful to Longford's challenge 14 months ago to believe that two tilts before a packed Croke Park with a Meath side now heavily favoured to reach an All-Ireland final was the sort of trial by fire that tempered Paul Caffrey's men early in the championship.

The attack has a more varied look to it, Mark Vaughan's unpredictability in play and reliability on the dead balls combining with Bernard Brogan's cut to bring some needed assistance to Conal Keaney and Alan Brogan.

Meath's emergence has rendered less pertinent the questions over a strict diet of Leinster teams, but Donegal remain the only non-Leinster opposition Dublin have beaten in the All-Ireland championship this decade.

In whatever lingers of the doubt that record encompasses is Derry's main chance this afternoon.

Paddy Crozier's team have improved since their dispiriting defeat by Monaghan in Ulster. They bring a similar physique to Dublin's into the match and, whatever else happens them, they won't be outmuscled.

They combine solidity with flashes of class throughout the field.

Seán Lockhart is a better bet for man marking than pivoting the defence and is expected to be detailed to mark Alan Brogan.

Up front Paddy Bradley is getting decent support from Colin Devlin and Mark Lynch.

But the Enda Muldoon conundrum remains: how best to deploy his footballing quality and cover for his lack of mobility.

This season he's been playing deeper but this has its dangers; it led to Derry getting burned by Pádraig McMahon in the recent qualifier, which resulted in a goal for the Laois wing back.

Kevin McCloy is an excellent full back but his one vulnerability is in the air; Mayo exploited it through Barry Moran and there were signs of creaking when Laois put Brendan Quigley in on him a fortnight ago.

For all that Keaney is a threat under high ball he's not an out-and-out target man and so that threat might pass for Derry.

If there's a besetting difficulty for Derry it's the lack of pace in various places on the team. Like Muldoon, Conleth Gilligan is an example of a tremendous ball user whose stately tempo will pressurise him against a hard, mobile defence on a big pitch.

Much has been made of Dublin's tendency to start matches like a train but they rode out the early shocks against Laois without losing their nerve.

Derry may seek to replicate this by bringing an extra defender back and making things more of a struggle but Dublin have coped effectively with such a tactic by turning Bryan Cullen into the spare-man marker and he has contributed significantly to the attack.

In the last episode: The counties haven't met since the qualifiers four years ago when a Na Fianna treble from Senan Connell, Dessie Farrell and Jason Sherlock set up a comfortable win for Dublin.

You bet: Dublin are hot favourites at 1 to 3 with Derry at 3 to 1. The draw is 15 to 2. Derry (+3) are 11 to 10 whereas Dublin (-3) are 10 to 11 and the draw (3.0) is 15 to 2.

On your marks: Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on who wins centrefield but both sides will fancy their forwards to do enough if they can win a preponderance of possession in the middle.

The feeling is that Fergal Doherty will go with Shane Ryan and Jim Conway mark Ciarán Whelan, with Enda Muldoon on hand to lend assistance.

With Ryan back in the rhythm of his roving role, the belief here is that Dublin will stretch Derry's mobility beyond its tolerance.

Gaining ground: This is Derry's first full house at the redeveloped Croke Park. When the counties met in the qualifiers three years ago the match was played before 18,000 in Clones.

Just the ticket: A few returns sold out within two hours yesterday.

Crystal gazing: Dublin have sizeable advantages: pace, mobility and a massive support. But Derry will be aware that the huge occasion can get to the Leinster champions if they find themselves under pressure.

Derry have the ability to exert that pressure but Dublin will resist it and reach another All-Ireland semi-final.