Two different states of mind collide in the second match at Croke Park tomorrow. It's just two weeks since Sligo recorded their most significant championship victory in 26 years. Achieved in the face of such adversity, it's hard to think of anything that could have better lifted morale. Dublin, on the other hand, have had barely a week to recover from their third successive Leinster final defeat and it's hard to avoid the conclusion that the team needed that title to settle their nerves for a meaningful crack at bigger things.

But into this starkly defined contrast a few qualifications should be entered. Dublin played better than many had expected last week and there were impressive aspects to the performance. The athleticism of the team in general and the confidence of the defence as a unit were positive; the lack of composure and wildness of the attack were negative.

For their part Sligo were up against a Kildare team that was out on its feet. Three matches in three weeks with an injury list that grew rather than healed - last year's Leinster champions were forced to find replacements for replacements. This isn't to ignore that Kildare were still in a winning position going into the final quarter nor to deny the merit of Sligo's win with 14 men.

This weekend Paul Taylor, whose withdrawal from the third-round match set the tone for Sligo's litany of setbacks, is still absent but the side is back up to 15.

The question for Peter Ford's team is how integral the circumstances of two weeks ago were to the performance. They were forced to abandon any concessions to direct football when reduced by Niall Carew's dismissal.

The adoption of a possession-based running game in a way played to their strengths with Eamonn O'Hara in his element. Given the stage, he didn't disappoint and his storming through the middle was the team's principal weapon. It was complemented by some great shooting.

Sixteen points and five wides represent clinical finishing for a team on a first championship visit to Croke Park.

Now the pressure is really on. Having set such a high benchmark, can Sligo reach it again? There are reasons to believe they can't. The rush of adrenalin and the sense of abandon that characterised the display the last day will be hard to replicate.

Dublin are a fit, mobile side who won't be caught on the back foot as easily as a patchwork Kildare although in that context, the recall of Martin Cahill instead of his all-action replacement, Shane Ryan is surprising.

But the one area that in the past would have beaten Sligo before the throw-in is now a lot more muddled. Psychologically, Sligo looked much more robust two weeks ago than their form in many Connacht matches in recent years had suggested. Compare the way they saw out the Kildare game with how Dublin coped in the last 10 minutes against Meath.

In other words Dublin will have to win this the hard way. But the belief here is that they can.