Dublin got their 2003 senior football championship off to a winning start this afternoon but their All-Ireland title credentials were never really tested by a below par Louth side.
Tommy Lyons men ran out comfortable 1-19 to 0-9 winners after bossing their opponents from start to finish. Dublin's dominance in the centre of the park, where Ciaran Whelan was on the sort of form that can tear through opposition defences at will, was a telling factor.
Indeed, such was the Dubs control that the men from the Wee County failed to register a single point from open play in the first half and trailed 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval. The Louth rear-guard fared little better and the free-scoring Dublin attack was allowed the freedom of Croke Park and picked off points with ease.
For a brief spell after the break Louth's sharp-shooting forward division threatened to crank into action and when JP Monney kicked their first point from play three minutes into the second-half a revival of sorts was potentially on the cards.
However, any flicker of hope was extinguished shortly afterwards when Seamus O'Hanlon was sent to the line when, having already had his name taken, the experienced midfielder aimed a petulant kick at Johnny Magee.
From that point on the contest turned into a procession with Dublin kicking points at will and but for the woodwork, Louth would have left with further egg on their faces.
Ultimately, the Dublin faithful will have left Croke Park content with a potentially tricky obstacle negotiated comfortably but let Lyons will be in no doubt that they'll face stiffer competition in their next outing.
In today's second match at headquarters, Westmeath's Des Dolan, perhaps the most influential player on the field, passed up a golden opportunity to condemn Meath to an early Leinster championship defeat.
With virtually the last kick of the game, the star striker sent a free to the right of the upright to leave the sides deadlocked at 2-13 apiece.
Meath had the better of the first-half and Hank Traynor fired a goal with their first attack. However, their neighbours emerged a different side after the interval and, led from the front by Dolan, dragged themselves back into the contest.
Two goals in a minute, both the results of catastrophic errors in the Meath goal, put Westmeath in the ascendancy only for the returning Graham Geraghty to peg the scores back with a goal of his own.
Then, two minutes into injury time, Dolan got his big break only for the All-Star to fluff his lines.
Meanwhile, in Connacht Galway also hit the ground running, dispatching Leitrim by 2-13 to 1-7. Despite conceding a goal in the opening minute, John O'Mahony's charges, tipped by many to lift the Sam Maguire trophy in September, were never seriously troubled by Declan Rowley's gallant but limited side and the Tribesmen, with Michael Donnellan starting in defence, won at a canter.
In Enniskillen, Fermanagh triumphed over Donegal (0-10 to 0-06) in a mediocre Ulster quarter-final. Donegal lost Brendan Devenney early in the first-half and in his absence Fermanagh took a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
In a game punctuated by wides, Fermanagh were good value for their victory and Donegal are likely to be without Brian Roper for the qualifiers after he received his marching orders right at the death.
Meanwhile, in the Munster hurling semi-final the young guns of Limerick will have another opportunity to record a famous win over provincial champions Waterford after the sides finished deadlocked at 4-13 to 4-13.