What is the difference between 100 per cent pressure and 50 per cent pressure? Even with a "losers' group" this season, when it comes to four leading contenders for this year's football championship, the answer is nothing. Pressure is measured at the same high level.

Tom Carr, the Dublin manager, is four years on the road and still trying to win a Leinster title. John O'Mahony of Galway wants to make up for losing two major finals in a row. Mick O'Dwyer is still trying to deliver the ultimate with Kildare and Brian Canavan wants to do the unprecedented with Armagh.

And all four are under pressure to beat All-Ireland champions Kerry. Yet each of them seemed relaxed and confident when assembled at Bank of Ireland headquarters in Dublin yesterday to offer their thoughts on what it will take to get their hands on the Sam Maguire next September.

"Well I don't feel any different at this time of the year than I did last year," said Carr, who last summer saw Dublin play some of their best and worst football under his reign.

"From a Dublin point of view, I suppose there are always a few extra critics out there no matter who is in charge of the team. The more failure that passes through your hands then the louder the criticism gets for whatever reason. But you have to tell yourself that you have a job to do and you have to concentrate on that."

Canavan and co-manager Brian McAlinden have winning the Ulster title as their first aim. That would give Armagh a three in-a-row, something the county has never achieved before.

"Even with the second chance this year, I think that winning the provincial title is the best way of getting to the quarter-final," Canavan said. "But Ulster is always a minefield and you have every county capable of winning the title there."

"I think Leinster and Ulster are a lot harder to come out of," chipped in Kildare manager O'Dwyer. "I know that it's not as difficult in Connacht or Munster."

That then, said O'Mahony, would be the first major disagreement of the championship. A valid point considering four Connacht teams made up this year's National League semi-finals.

All thoughts soon fell towards Kerry, the favourites for the title. O'Dwyer suggested they would beat Cork by eight to 10 points in the Munster final. But are Cork that bad or Kerry that good? "Well I would never say Cork are bad because they never are. But Kerry are definitely the better team at the moment."

Still, all four held hopes for their own teams: "I have no doubt that we have what it takes," said Carr. "We were good enough last year as well but it didn't happen for whatever reason, and our focus will stay the same."

And that was enough talking for one day. But among the interesting things was that not one of them mentioned Meath. Funny how things can change.