Anyone who thought that Dublin manager Tommy Lyons would somehow be able to short-circuit the standard team-building processes will have been brought down to earth by the first round match against Wexford.
It's hard to know how much of that scary display can be apportioned to a lack of concentration on assembling a big lead and how much was down to ineptitude. But neither is a useful trait to bring to the table when you're facing Meath in the championship.
Judging on the available evidence, it's hard to see how Dublin are going to topple the champions even allowing for the unexpected loss of Ollie Murphy. Meath were better than expected in dismissing Westmeath three weeks ago whereas Dublin disappointed in their first outing.
Meath's big guns fired smoothly but last year's All-Ireland final showed that Graham Geraghty doesn't exude the same menace when Murphy isn't playing with him. But Seán Boylan is expert at improvising and that will stand to him.
Lyons on the other hand is dealing with a new team, monitoring their progress in the real world after all the shadow-boxing of the spring. He is also in his first year and whereas he has a successful track record at intercounty level - his Offaly side defeated Meath in his first year in charge - the dynamics of the Dublin job and the outsize expectations it generates are different.
It has been neither brave nor foolhardy to bring in so many new players but it is considered and necessary. It was plain that the Dublin team as constituted last year would not go much further so something had to be done.
The danger for Lyons is that just because an infusion of youth is needed doesn't mean that it's going to work just yet. Principally the young forwards such as Alan Brogan and and tomorrow's championship debutant, John McNally, have a lot to do to prove themselves at this level. And to do so they will need better, more thoughtful service - into space rather than dropping from space.
Similarly at the back, Barry Cahill and Paul Casey are on their first tour of championship duty on the right flank of the defence. Then there are more experienced players in new roles. Shane Ryan and Ray Cosgrove backbone the attack - a vital axis for an untested combination, particularly Cosgrove who takes on Darren Fay.
On the positive side, Ciarán Whelan looks more settled in his game and will need to be, judging by the form of Meath's centrefield in subduing much-vaunted Westmeath opponents.
In short, there are too many unknown factors about Dublin and too much solidity about Meath.
MEATH: C O'Sullivan; M O'Reilly, D Fay, C Murphy; P Shankey, H Traynor, P Reynolds; N Crawford, J Cullinane; E Kelly, T Giles, N Nestor; R McGee, G Geraghty, D Curtis.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; B Cahill, P Christie, C Goggins; P Casey, J Magee, P Andrews; C Whelan, D Homan; C Moran, S Ryan, S Connell; A Brogan, R Cosgrove, J McNally.
