Don't believe the hype . . . and don't think today will be easy for Dublin after getting past their old rivals. Offaly themselves know all about knocking favourites about and will give today a real go, if only for 50 minutes. Thing is, if they are to go all the way, there are quite a few things that need to happen.

Padraic Kelly will need to pull off three or four big saves just like Brendan Murphy did to get Meath to a replay; he'll also have to devise a kickout to stop Ciaran Whelan winning ball on the front foot and launching attacks at pace. His full-back line will have to have the game of their lives. Karol Slattery will have to put his blistering pace to good defensive use and kick a point. Scott Brady will need to be Seamus Moynihan for a day.

Alan McNamee will have to have his greatest day at midfield while Niall Smith will have to get the better of Shane Ryan. The half-forward line will have to play like they have done in the past. PJ Ward will need to find the swagger that allowed him the gesture the Hill when taking the Westmeath minors past Dublin seven years ago. Niall McNamee will need to show the form that had him as a potential All Star at this time last year while Thomas Deehan will need to kick four points out of every five chances, as opposed to the two or so he's slacked to recently. That's before we even mention the fitness worries surrounding him, James Keane and Ger Rafferty.

Dublin just need to keep their foot on the pedal for long periods and keep running at their opponents as they did in last year's Leinster final. Should that happen the cracks will appear. Jason Sherlock looks set to start despite Diarmuid Connolly being named at 12.

Today will also be a test of Mark Vaughan's consistency. There's far less boxes to tick in the blue corner.

Verdict Dublin by five DUBLIN S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Grif"n; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Whelan, S Ryan; C Moran, M Vaughan, D Connolly; A Brogan, C Keaney, T Quinn.

OFFALY P Kelly; G Rafferty, J Quinn, J Keane; P McConway, S Brady, K Slattery; A McNamee, N Smith; N Coughlan, P Kelleghan, C McManus; T Deehan, PJ Ward, N McNamee