Dublin's summer takes off

Leinster SFC: What a difference a game makes. With 67,970 paying customers in Croke Park yesterday the All-Ireland football championship is ready to move from the sideshow in our sporting summer to the headline act. Thanks again to the boys in blue.

Croke Park wasn't quite full, but those who decided to stay at home and watch a certain event in Germany later in the afternoon chose unwisely. Unless, perhaps, they were Laois supporters.

What a difference a result makes. Three weeks ago some people were wondering if Dublin could possibly retain their Leinster title after sneaking past Longford by two points. Those same people are now wondering if Dublin could possibly win a first All-Ireland title in 11 years.

It just probably wasn't the sort of performance Pillar Caffrey would have written into his All-Ireland-winning script. Dublin hammered Laois 3-17 to 0-12 - their biggest margin since 1899 - and no matter how careful he tried to be afterwards, people are now talking about them going all the way.

And why not? Before yesterday Ray Cosgrove seemed destined to be remembered for missing a late, late free to draw the All-Ireland semi-final with Armagh four years ago. Now he seems destined to be remembered as the comeback kid. Starting his first championship match in three years, Cosgrove scored 1-3 from play yesterday and ended up man of the match.

Centre back Bryan Cullen was another strong contender for that accolade, but given Cosgrove's circumstances - and the cool, unselfish game he played - he was really the only player that could win it. As early as it is, Cosgrove's return could yet mark a turning point in Dublin's summer.

His reintroduction after the Longford game was one of several sweeping changes by Caffrey that worked a treat yesterday, but Caffrey was typically stone-faced in responding to that one.

"Changes are changes, lads," he told us. "You make them and put out your best team every day you go out. The team we put out against Longford was our best team. The team we put out today was our best team.

"I don't take any of the credit for that. There are players coming into form. Ray Cosgrove has never gone away. He's a man on form at the moment and that's why he was picked. He delivered again in the Dublin jersey. Happy days for him."

While Caffrey wasn't getting carried away in the moment of victory, Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer was a little more emotional in defeat.

"We threw in the towel," he said, "which was amazing because in championship football you should never give up. No matter how much you're down you keep on fighting.

"But they (Dublin) gave an exhibition of football and they are real contenders for this year's championship. There's no doubt in the world about that."

O'Dwyer added he hoped for a "soft draw" when the All-Ireland qualifiers were decided last night, which is exactly what he didn't get. Laois will play All-Ireland champions Tyrone, probably the pick of the second round - and definitely the one team Laois would have wanted to avoid.

Having disposed of Louth after their round-one replay, Tyrone face Laois having beaten them in the qualifiers two years ago, and probably won't mind playing them again - especially as Laois will be missing midfielder Pádraic Clancy with the shoulder injury sustained yesterday.

Laois will get two weeks' recovery - along with Leitrim and Fermanagh, who drew Sligo and Clare respectively, having lost their provincial semi-finals against Mayo and Armagh yesterday.

Four of the other round-two games are set for next weekend, including Kildare's tough assignment with Derry, and Meath's against Roscommon. Monaghan will also get an extra week to prepare for their meeting with either Offaly or Wexford, who play in Croke Park next Sunday in the other Leinster semi-final.