An interesting aspect of tomorrow's second All-Ireland minor football semi-final between Dublin and Down at Croke Park is that the winners must produce an exceptional performance to unseat Mayo as firm favourites for next month's final. Such a performance is not beyond the capabilities of either side. They play a similar brand of fast, methodical football and thrive in good conditions.
While Dublin will want to forget a patchy Leinster final drawn match with Wexford, which they almost lost because of two give-away goals, Down's low-key match came at the same stage of the Ulster championship against Donegal before they too rectified matters in the replay.
With predatory attackers in both line-ups, the indications are for a high-scoring match. The most obvious examples of scoring potential are provided by Dublin's Liam Og O hEineachain and Stephen Mills and Down's Mark Walsh and Johnny Fagan.
Walsh's magnificent contribution to St Colman's All-Ireland success earlier this year earned him a coveted All-Star Ulster Colleges' nomination.
O hEineachain is a particularly imposing figure on the 40 for Dublin. He has height, pace and a keen eye for intelligent distribution. The onus will be on Down captain Liam Doyle to curb the Kilmacud Crokes player's efforts. Doyle, one of three members of the Down team to win Hogan Cup medals with St Colman's, would be anyone's first choice for this demanding task.
Although the notion persists that Down's defence is not the strongest sector of the side, some of Doyle's colleagues, such as Compromise Rules full back Brendan Grant, Mark Doran, a cousin of the late Ambrose Rogers, and Hogan Cup medallist Brendan Kearney have been prominent.
The obvious conclusion must be that good supply to the frontrunners will be crucial, a factor which brings the respective midfield partnerships sharply into focus. Conor Murphy has a great understanding with Crokes clubmate O hEineachain, while Down's Benny Coulter has been getting forward with such regularity to poach scores that he is now recognised as something of a seventh forward.
Dublin will be starting for the first time in this campaign with the same six forwards that were named for a preceding game. Their excellent response to an ominous five-point, third-quarter deficit in the replay against Wexford has no doubt influenced this vote of confidence. In the forgettable drawn match wing forwards Sean McCann, who was yellow carded, and Cillian O'Driscoll were replaced.
Dublin hold a distinct advantage in terms of venue. They have played at headquarters a number of times whereas the experience will be new to the Ulster champions. Dublin manager Cyril Kevlihan minimises the importance of venue. "It's a big match for both teams and with Dublin and Down supporters not involved in the senior match the atmosphere will be different.
"Dublin," says Kevlihan, "will be giving Down the respect they deserve as Ulster champions. We are confident, however, that if we perform well on the day we will win"
En route to the All-Ireland series Down have beaten Antrim, Tyrone and Donegal, after a replay. Dublin accounted for Carlow, Westmeath, Offaly and Wexford, after a replay. The hunger for an All-Ireland final place is equally sharp in both camps. Neither side have won the title since the 1980s - Dublin, captained by Liam Clarke, in 1984, and Down three years later when Pete McGrath was in charge.
Dublin: S Cluxton; A Holly, N Cleere, N O'Driscoll; A Brogan, P Casey, A Cleere; C Murphy, K Devine; S McCann, L Og O hEineachain, C O'Driscoll; S Mills, B McEvoy, G Joyce.
Down: J Sloan; J Clarke, B Grant, M Doran; B Kearney, L Doyle, D McGrady; L Sloan, B Coulter; G Digney, M Walsh, R Murtagh; G Morgan, J Fagan, R Sexton.
