Couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, got no work done. Couldn't even leave the house without greasing up in a slick of factor 30. Too wet now. Every time you walk out the door you're drenched. Before long you'll be sniffling. Factor in the potential rheumatism and wouldn't it be great if it was hot again.

We'd like to suggest the people who fit the above billing are the same people who were critical of the opening game in Croke Park last week. All championship they've been whining about the ugly and dour and dirty.

But then there was Laois and Mayo and according to some it wasn't real football. Too open, no hard challenges, poor marking, not the traditional stuff.

Well it wasn't too hot a few weeks back, it's not raining all that much of late and last Sunday was one of the games of the season. It was fun and fantastic and today will be no different. And these aren't two nice teams that won't make any impact after this quarter-final either. In recent seasons the league has become an accurate gauge of credentials and if you turn back a page, you'll see that this time around these are the most consistent teams in the country. They are also the last teams to put Tyrone out of the championship.

They are also brimming with class.

Joe Higgins's battle with Conor Mortimer summed up the clash a week ago. The fact that Mortimer managed to slide over six points says so much about his performance given that Higgins was again brilliant, especially in the second half. That duel alone will be worth another look, but it's what happens elsewhere that will decide Dublin's next opponents. Can Chris Conway be that good again? He's had such a splendid year, and we can't remember the last time James Nallen got pulled this way and that and ultimately ashore. Can Billy Sheehan again be as anonymous? Can Noel Garvan sustain the form he suddenly found and, if so, will it be at full forward? And can Laois afford to leave Donie Brennan off the park again for so long, in a game that is made for his size and skill?

But despite all the question marks hanging around Mick O'Dwyer's side, it's with Mayo that the real intrigue lies. Of the two teams, they are the one that can improve most. Problem is, that will involve getting the heads down and putting in some serious work. They need more cohesion and they need more from Billy Joe Padden, Ger Brady and Ciaran McDonald. Brady hasn't found the fluid form of the early league. The quick passing, straightforward route and easy point have all stopped and he needs to find a way to adapt his game to the much slower build-up that has been forced upon Mayo through championship intensity.

Billy Joe needs to stay more central to the game, get on the ball more often and use it better than he did the last day, and there is no way McDonald can be left to rummage around when he is a genuine scoring threat, one Mayo badly need given their woeful shooting at times . . . see Leitrim '06, Galway '06, Laois '06. Midfield will be evened up by the replacement of John Healy in the Mayo goal. Last week his kick-outs were poor and he inspired little confidence under high balls. David Clarke will change that by taking hold of the number one shirt. But ultimately it's a game that could come down to the fitness of Trevor Mortimer.

Therefore if there was ever a time to sit on the fence. . .but a hunch says Mayo by a couple.

LAOIS F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; P O'Leary, T Kelly, P McMahon; B Quigley, P Clancy; B McCormack, N Garvan, C Conway; B Sheehan, R Munnelly, B McDonald MAYO D Clarke; D Geraghty, D Heaney, K Higgins; A Higgins, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, P Harte; BJ Padden, G Brady, C McDonald; A Dillon, C Mortimer, AN Other ALL IRELAND SFC QUARTER-FINAL REPLAY LAOIS vMAYO Croke Park, 2.00 Referee J McQuillan (Cavan) Live, RTE Two. 1.40