Probably the least surprising team line-up of the summer was confirmed last night when Dublin manager Paul Caffrey announced the same starting 15 for Saturday's All-Ireland football quarter-final against Derry - already a guaranteed sell-out at Croke Park.
Caffrey has been more or less faithful to the same team all summer, after introducing Mark Vaughan for the Leinster quarter-final replay against Meath, and then recalling Jason Sherlock for the Leinster final against Laois. It means Dublin are unchanged from that six-point win over Laois on July 15th, with just a few minor positional switches.
Paul Casey and Barry Cahill swapped wing-back positions for the start of the Laois game, but Casey is again named on the right, and Cahill on the left. Sherlock also moved to centre forward the last day, where he is named again for Saturday, with Conal Keaney due to start at full forward and Alan Brogan in the right corner.
Derry will announce their starting line-up tomorrow, but will also be at full strength.
Saturday's game marks the first championship meeting between the teams since 2003 when Dublin won the second-round qualifier in Clones by 3-9 to 1-9. . Dublin have just seven survivors from that team: Stephen Cluxton, David Henry, Paul Griffin, Shane Ryan, Colin Moran, Ciarán Whelan and Alan Brogan.
One of those who have since moved on is Dessie Farrell and speaking yesterday in his capacity as chief executive of the Gaelic Players Association, Farrell sounded quietly confident of Dublin's chances of going all the way for the first time since 1995.
"It seems to be fairly even between the teams still out there at the moment," said Farrell. "With Tyrone and Armagh out, it's obviously a huge motivational factor. People still see Kerry there, but there is a question about Kerry, and whether they'll have the hunger this year. The formbook in Munster doesn't tell you a whole lot, on the evidence to date, with Cork struggling against Sligo.
"So from a Dublin perspective it is all to play for. The big thing for Dublin is the level of consistency in their performance, to be able to do it week in, week out. And they've done that now, with three Leinster titles."
The Monaghan manager, Séamus McEnaney, has also announced an unchanged line-up for their All-Ireland quarter-final against Kerry on Sunday - although there are a few notable positional switches.
Vincent Corey reverts to full back, having playing at full forward in the qualifier win over Donegal and the second half of the Ulster final against Tyrone. This time it appears Corey will be the man to take up Kerry's Kieran Donaghy, the player he's being compared to for his similar scoring threat of late.
Conor McManus and Colm Flanagan, both late replacements before the start of the Donegal game, retain their starting places, McManus named at right corner forward, and Flanagan at right corner back.
Rory Woods and Paul Finlay also switch, Woods at full forward and Finlay at centre forward, but again it remains to be seen where they play once Corey's actual position becomes apparent. Captain Damien Freeman will again start at wing forward.
Kerry are due to announce their team today.
In hurling, a few minor injury concerns resulted in Limerick deferring their team announcement ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford. Manager Richie Bennis will announce his team after training tomorrow evening.
Forward Seán O'Connor continues to get treatment on his chronic hamstring injury and Bennis has decided to give him another couple of days.
There is also a fitness concern about regular wing forward Mike Fitzgerald, who scored four points in the quarter-final win over Clare. He's been getting treatment for a calf injury but has been able to do light training and should get the all-clear.
Waterford will also announce their team tomorrow evening, their only injury concern surrounding forward Eoin Kelly's hand wound - which required 10 stitches - sustained in last Sunday's quarter-final replay win over Cork.
Team Line-ups
DUBLIN(SF v Derry): S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; S Ryan, C Whelan; C Moran, J Sherlock, B Brogan; A Brogan, C Keaney, M Vaughan.
MONAGHAN(SF v Kerry): S Duffy; D Mone, V Corey, C Flanagan; D McArdle, G McQuaid, JP Mone; D Clerkin, E Lennon; S Gollogly, P Finlay, D Freeman; C McManus, R Woods, T Freeman.
