As challenging as today will be, they have an easier passage to a Leinster final this year than they had last year. Their one win in this year's league was over Meath and with Red Barry now focusing solely on football, PJ Banville good for a goal, centre forward Ciaran Deeley good for a point a game, and Matty Forde due a big performance in Croker, they're capable of running up a decent score on a vulnerable enough Meath defence.

The Louth game will have brought Meath on enormously.

Graham Geraghty not only showed that he has plenty more to offer Meath but that he still has it in him to play again for Sean Boylan and Ireland; we'd have had him not just in Australia but on our All Star team last year. Tentatively, we see him doing enough to get Meath home by a point or two.

Verdict Meath WEXFORD J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; P Curtis, D Murphy, G Molloy; R Stafford, D Kinsella; C Deely, P Colfer, R Barry; L Murphy, PJ Banville, M Forde.

MEATH To be announced KILDARE v OFFALY Croke Park, 4.00 Referee M Hughes (Tyrone) A fortnight back, Offaly did little to impress when they overcame Westmeath in a dour game that just about held the attention of those on the field, let alone the unfortunates who paid /25 at the gate. They have got energy and firepower in Thomas Deehan and Niall McNamee though and if this pair can light things up, then Offaly have a decent chance of progressing.

Against Westmeath both merely chugged along, missing some kickable opportunities.

They might find more space today against a Kildare defence that has struggled with injury.

Dermot Early and John Doyle have themselves shaken off knocks to line out and their inclusion is a huge boost. Doyle picked up a foot injury earlier this month and, had it lingered, Kildare's scoring potential would have been seriously depleted.

Offaly may have already tasted championship action . . .

and that will stand to them . . . but they don't have a strong enough back line to cope with Doyle.

Kildare are anxious to atone for last summer when they were easily turned over by Laois and, since then, they've found some additional steel. They should advance.

Verdict Kildare OFFALY P Kelly; G Rafferty, S Sullivan, N Grennan; P McConway, S Brady, K Slattery; C McManus, A McNamee; C Quinn, N Coughlan, T Phelan; T Deehan, AN Other, N McNamee KILDARE To be announced CONNACHT SFC PRELIMINARY ROUND LONDON v MAYO Ruislip, 3.00 Referee J McKee (Armagh) Not a totally pointless exercise this, even if London have no hope after losing 11 of the side that rattled Roscommon last year. Mayo's run to the 2004 All Ireland, you'll remember, kickstarted with a vibrant performance in New York. It'll be interesting to see how their relatively small full back line cope with the power of Stuart McKenzie-Smith, and how David Heaney fares away from the confines of the square and in midfield. Likewise how Mayo's two MCs, Mortimer Conor and McDonald Ciaran, link up playing in the same line. If it's anything like they did from 11 to 15 for much of '04, they could go as far again this year.

Verdict Mayo MAYO J Healy; D Geraghty, L O'Malley, K Higgins; P Kelly, J Nallen, P Gardiner; D Heaney, P Harte; A Moran, G Brady, A Dillon; C Mortimer, C McDonald, A O'Malley.

LONDON B McBreaty; P Callaghan, C Beirne, P Earley; P McConigley, D McKenna, A McLernon; K Waldron, E Brennan; P Quirke, J O'Murphy, B Solan; C Foody, S McKenzie-Smith, W O'Sullivan