In Armagh the winter sun was blinding white and if little else about the afternoon dazzled at least both teams left the field sufficiently nourished to get through another couple of weeks winter slog.
Dublin, categorised for the purposes of the league season as rehabilitation cases, will consider this a decent afternoon of work. Not as swiftly and confidently executed as on other days but that's rehab for you. They dug and scrounged and occasionally explored the limits of their potential.
Armagh, a team that should be progressing as the rest of Ulster suffers a crisis of confidence, seldom played with fluency, but they produced a stickiness and resilience which was adequate for the time of year.
Armagh could have nailed the game down with a couple of minutes to go when a comical error of judgement in the Dublin defence (we'd name the guilty men if we had space) let James Byrne in with only Davy Byrne to beat. James could not have been more flustered if Davy announced himself as his long-lost brother.
The score stayed level and in the last minute Ger Houlahan and Declan Darcy swapped points, prompting referee Jim Bannon to blow the final whistle quickly.
Dublin were hampered considerably by deficiencies in personnel. First Darcy, nursing a strain, abdicated from the starting 15. Then Paul Croft, nursing a temper, had himself sent off in the 18th minute after a discreet tussle with Cathal O'Rourke. Given Darcy's talent and Croft's potential Dublin could not afford to have either of them on the sideline.
The smart money still says that Dublin's next All-Ireland is the other side of the millennium, but the most admirable thing about Tom Carr's new side is (Paul Croft's dismissal notwithstanding) their general brightness. In Jim Gavin, Brian Stynes and Des Farrell they have some of the brighter footballing cookies from the festive 1995 box and have augmented the forwards with Darcy and a couple of corner forwards, Ray Cosgrove and Mick O'Keeffe who, if they continue to develop, could provide the yearned-for cutting edge.
The full-back line was a troublesome, fragile thing yesterday and the development of Maghnus Breathnach will be keenly watched from the Hill. Elsewhere, it has always been inevitable that Ian Robertson would nail down a position somewhere on the team. At centre back he has found a post that best showcases his intelligence as well as skill. Ciaran Whelan is at midfield, where he needs to be, and there is a smattering of greybeards waiting to be re-introduced in the spring. Not bad.
They were playing against an Armagh side shorn of their Crossmaglen contingent but still possibly the most talented and consistently underachieving side in Ulster. Armagh brought the only All Star nominee, Kieran McGeeney, to the party and in flashes looked as if they could be contenders if they found the mood. Most of what they came up with yesterday was superior to the limp rag performance submitted against Donegal two weeks ago.
They have a solid midfield, a springheeled forward line that looks made for summer days and a defence which looks about two thirds adequate. Like Dublin they played in patches yesterday.
They took the lead early on with two free kicks, the scoring method of choice on the day, but Ciaran Whelan gave a further glimpse of the form he showed against Tyrone a fortnight ago when he finished a splendid move down the left flank with a swaggeringly-clipped point.
That set Dublin on a little run which brought five points in the following eight minutes as Stynes's loping adventure and Gavin's tidy diligence bore dividends in the half-forward line.
Cathal O'Rourke interrupted their flow with a point (another free) and then Croft's dismissal necessitated a lengthy break in play to allow for treatment to O'Rourke and an investigation by the referee which included questioning all those on the grassy knoll.
Dublin didn't score from play again before half-time while Armagh began expressing themselves a little more fluently with James Byrne and Diarmuid Marsden scoring fine points to leave the sides level at the break.
Paul Curran was introduced for Dublin after the break as the reshuffle following Croft's departure was completed. Armagh continued their good work however. O'Rourke scored from another free, and then a convoluted move which saw Paul McGrane run hard at the Dublin defence and then lose the ball only for John Rafferty to retrieve it, ended in a goal. Somehow, through a couple of nervy hands, the ball found its way to Jarlath Burns, who plonked it in the net.
From then Dublin were grinding and the consolation is that they pulled up the sleeves and did the dirty work.
Dublin have generally found Armagh to be doughty customers. They haven't beaten them since 1991 and have to reach back decades for a win at the Athletic Grounds. To emerge with a draw was good business.
For Armagh, meanwhile, their intimidating home form continues.
Armagh: B Tierney; E McNulty, G Reid, M McNeill; K Hughes, K McGeenney, J McNulty; J Burns (1-0), P McGrane (0-1); J Rafferty, C O'Rourke (0-4, all frees), P McKeever; J Byrne (0-1), D Marsden (0-4, two frees), D Mackin. Subs: D Wilson for Rafferty (52 mins); G Houlahan (0-1) for O'Rourke (55 mins).
Dublin: D Byrne; S Ryan, P Christie, K Galvin; T Lynch, I Robertson (0-1), P Croft; C Whelan (0- 1), E Sheehy; J Gavin (0-5, four frees), S Cowap, B Stynes (0-3, two frees); R Cosgrove (0-2, one free), D Farrell, M O'Keeffe (0-1). Subs: P Curran for Cowap (half-time); J McGee for Galvin (40 mins); D Darcy (0-1) for O'Keeffe (46 mins).
Referee: J Bannon (Longford)
