GAELIC GAMES: ASSUMING LIAM Rushe will not be reading this or any other piece of hype about Dublin hurling - "it's poison, it messes with your head" - then he won't mind the expectation that they simply can't afford to lose Sunday's Leinster quarter-final against Offaly.

It's not just that Dublin are heavy favourites. Having won the league title for the first time in 72 years, it would be more than just a shock if they were to lose to Offaly, who were relegated from Division One: it would undo all the progress and success of Dublin's league, and destroy whatever hype actually is there.

Yet Rushe is adamant their success was quickly put to bed, and the midfielder - who will also captain the Dublin Under-21s this summer - appears ready to pick up where he left off in the league.

"We got our feet back on the ground fairly quickly," he says. "There were eight of us in UCD starting exams on the following Tuesday, and the next Wednesday we had club championship. After that it was training again on the Thursday, and that pretty much parked it.

"It was great to win it and get a bit of silverware, but it's bookended now, and we're all focusing on Offaly on Sunday.

"And there is a bit of maturity about us. We were delighted to win it and I wouldn't play it down too much, but it is the league. There's a massive difference between the league and championship and we know we're going to have to raise our game so much to get over Offaly."

The clear and present danger with Offaly is that they've a reputation for being at their most competitive just when they appear the opposite. Rushe is well aware of their history of bouncing back.

"They didn't have too great a league campaign but they'll want to bounce back from that. You saw last year, they came out and were on fire in that first game, and put Galway to the pin of their collar. Even in the second game, Galway were hard pushed to get over them. Everybody knows the talent they have and they'll really put it up to us."

What Rushe is glad to talk about is the prospect of playing back in Croke Park. Originally the game was set for Parnell Park, but when 42,030 showed up at the league final against Kilkenny (which included the All-Ireland Under-21 final as the curtain-raiser), the Leinster Council moved the HQ - and even if Hill 16 is only half full Rushe believes it will make a difference.

"We'd much rather play in the wide spaces of Croke Park. It probably won't have the same atmosphere as the league final. We'd hope to get a crowd in, but it might be a bit of a ghost town.

"The atmosphere at the league final was strange, a bit surreal. You could hear the Hill during the match, and I enjoyed it. It does give you a lift. Not so much when you're running after a ball and the game is live. But when there's a pause, break in play or an injury, it can give you a boost. You feed off that energy."

Ultimately, it's about winning - no matter what the crowd or venue. Dublin's loss to Antrim in Croke Park last summer is still fresh in their minds, perhaps more so than the league win. Even if they get over Offaly, Dublin probably have Galway and Kilkenny to come if they're to win Leinster.

"Last year was a disaster really, the same as the year before against Limerick. We've really let ourselves down in the championship and we need to produce a good run this year."

As for a possible rematch with Kilkenny, Rushe would anticipate a far different challenge: "Kilkenny got to the final with a ridiculous injury list. Any team missing the players they were missing would be looking at relegation, but they have such strength in depth and managed to get to the final.

"We caught them on the hop. I'm sure they'll be hurting from that - people are saying it's the demise of the greatest team ever, but they'll regroup and they'll be back for championship. They've had suspensions and injuries but they'll progress and I'm sure they'll be absolutely flying."