Gaelic Football All-Ireland under-21 semi-final: After the misery of the senior footballers' summer Dublin face into a possible bonanza over the next fortnight. Tomorrow the under-21s can take a step towards the county's first All-Ireland title at that level. Next week the minors will face Laois for a first All-Ireland in 18 years and seven days later the women play Mayo for their first senior All-Ireland.
This weekend's match is something of a novelty with the new Munster champions Waterford providing unexpected opposition after their historic win over Kerry earlier this month. So Dublin go from the prospect of an edgy encounter with a Kerry team featuring senior stars such as Colm Cooper and Declan O'Sullivan to a match they will be presumed to win.
Tommy Lyons and his management will do well not to presume too much, as Kerry and Cork have discovered that complacency is a fatal flaw against Waterford.
It's probable neither of Munster's big two would admit such a failing but it's also doubtful Kerry manager Jack O'Connor would have sat back while his full back and centrefield were being roasted, had the opposition been Cork or Dublin. But he allowed Shane Walsh and Michael Walsh too much latitude in the first half.
Dublin will also have noticed Waterford's effort flagged a bit in the second half and the match teetered on the brink of getting away from them. But due to a combination of Kerry's negligence and Waterford's spirit, the match was rescued and won at the last gasp.
Sadly for Pat Nugent's side, Waterford have lost their fine full back Ger Hayes. Replacement Eamonn Walsh is a good footballer but not really an edge-of-the-square specialist.
One thing going for the Munster champions is the fact the province runs off its under-21 championship over the summer whereas Dublin haven't played since beating Longford in the Leinster final on 27th April.
The provincial title retained, the caretaker coaching team of Declan Darcy and Jim Gavin, who liaised with senior selector Pat Canning during the senior side's summer preparation, and the players went their separate ways pending a mid-July return to training. The seniors departed the championship by that stage and the management were able to concentrate on the under-21s. But apart from a couple of challenge matches, Dublin are short of match practice.
The consensus expectation for this match is Dublin should win easily. Whatever about that they should win. The big Thurles pitch will suit Dublin who are more athletic and faster than their opponents. The team that can exploit a weakness will find plenty of space to make it count.
Liam Ó Lonain showed some of that sort of menace for Waterford but Shane Walsh was the most impressive forward. Big and forceful on the ball, he is also disconcertingly nimble. But Dublin have a bigger defence than Kerry and will create more pressure.
Declan O'Mahony will have an important job to do to disrupt Michael Walsh's influence at centrefield and Dublin are confident he can achieve at least parity. If he can cut down Walsh's possession O'Mahony will have gone some way to limiting Waterford.
With Conal Keaney, Liam Ó hEineachain and Alan Brogan up front Dublin have the quality in attack to keep their opponents on the back foot. But Kerry offered at least as much. The key will be Dublin's ability to exert consistent pressure because Waterford have shown they will keep coming until the match is over.
Dublin will have learned that much from watching Waterford and can apply the lessons.
DUBLIN: P Copeland; N Kane, M Fitzpatrick, P Griffin; N Cooper, B Cullen, C Prenderville; P Brennan, D O'Mahony; C Keaney, L Og O hEineachain, D Lally; A Brogan, G Cullen, J Noonan.
Waterford: D Hickey; M Crotty, E Walsh, J O'Reilly; N Hennessy, E Rockett, J Hurney; S Dempsey, M Walsh; L O Lonain, M Power, T Whelan; B Costelloe, S Walsh, B Harty.
Referee: J McKee (Armagh).
Dublin v Waterford
Thurles, 4.45
