QualifierDraw: Round FourIt simply had to be. Tommy Lyons will take Dublin into battle against his immediate predecessor, Tom Carr, as defeated Connacht finalists Roscommon came out of last night's fourth-round qualifier draw alongside the ever-improving metropolitan side.
It's the dream ticket for everybody involved. The GAA have got their plum tie, which should pack Croke Park to the rafters as Roscommon supporters also turn up in their droves for the big days, while it also adds spice to the championship, as Dublin sides are wont to do.
Last year it was their stirring showdown with Armagh in the third-round qualifier. This year it's to be a do-or-die battle with opponents led by a former Dublin manager. As far as storylines go it hardly gets better.
The headlines are already being prepared: Carr back to haunt the Dubs. The barely healed wounds inflicted by Carr's controversial removal from the post, despite the support of the players, will inevitably be scratched over and his tenure will inevitably be held up for comparison with the current climate in the Dublin camp.
All in all, it's going to be exciting stuff and the game should be fixed for headquarters (confirmation of the time and dates is out today).
Significantly, since the defeat to Westmeath on June 6th, many of Carr's favoured players have come back into vogue under the current management.
Of the other three ties out of the hat, Limerick and Derry would be favourite to go on the undercard of the Dublin and Roscommon primetime viewing, unless they decide to give the fixture an exclusive stage. Last year, the fourth-round qualifiers were all held at neutral, provincial venues.
After falling to Kerry in yesterday's Munster final replay, Limerick will be relatively satisfied with a tie against Derry. The only obvious problem for Liam Kearns is that he must rebuild a demoralised side to face Mickey Moran's men, who will be coming in with their tails up after beating Cavan and more recently Wexford, last Saturday evening in Parnell Park.
Another Kerry manager will also have to lift his troops for the qualifiers as the loser of next Saturday's Leinster final replay will face All-Ireland champions Tyrone.
Mickey Harte's men are the one team everyone wanted to avoid after the display they gave on Saturday in disposing of Galway. The consequence of defeat increases the stakes even further ahead of next Saturday's replay.
The other fixture sees the all-Ulster pairing of Donegal and Fermanagh square up. It will surely provoke groans in Fermanagh, who seem to have fewer inhibitions against non-Ulster sides, as their victories over Meath and Cork have proved this summer, but at least they avoided their chief hoodoo opposition, Tyrone.
