Central to this match is the extent to which Dublin have put last year behind them. Offaly we know to be consistent and likely to get the best out of themselves. Dublin are the opposite, inconsistent and capable of getting the worst out of themselves. The legacy of last year's disaster in the Leinster replay is that opponents won't readily accept that Dublin have them beaten and Dublin themselves will have difficulty accepting it.

This is an immensely important match for Dublin. Already displaced by Meath and Kildare in Leinster's pecking order, Dublin's victims in recent years have not been out of the top drawer and they struggled to beat Laois two years ago. Offaly occupy a higher level and have actually defeated the reigning Leinster champions in three of the past four years (they themselves were the defending champions in 1998).

Dublin are largely unchanged since last year. Should Ian Robertson be fit, he will represent a major addition to the attack but does the team have the mental strength to withstand the periods of pressure tomorrow is certain to bring? It was noticeable during the second-half meltdown last August that no Dublin player rose to the occasion. That leadership deficit will have to be resolved if the team is to go anywhere.

Offaly aren't without blemish either. Sean Grennan's return to the team adds some strength but there are question marks about his fitness for the roving role he is likely to play. Still, his presence around the middle would put pressure on Dublin whose centrefield combination of Ciaran Whelan's flamboyance and the erratic Darren Homan is unproven.

If we accept that Offaly are capable of snagging up a match and closing down space, it will be a matter of who can make the best out of limited opportunities. Looking at some of the talent at Dublin's disposal they should have a head start but as Offaly have proved before they are adept at wringing enough out of unpromising material.