Dublin have strolled into this Leinster final and all the talk about them being the greatest football team of all time must surely stir something in the Meath psyche. The Dubs may have won two of the last three All-Irelands but marched to neither of them. We keep hearing about how good they are, but have they really shown it?

Mayo were very poor in last year’s All-Ireland final but could still have won it. Kerry were a few minutes away from winning the 2011 final. Dublin lost to Mayo in 2012 at the semi-final stage and will be vulnerable to that team again this summer.

In Leinster, teams have paid Dublin far too much respect and that wouldn’t be Meath’s style. Laois and Wexford played some nice football, stayed with the All-Ireland champions for a decent period of time but then got off the stage and allowed the Dubs to stroll to comprehensive victories. Laois were with the Dubs to half-time but never looked remotely like a team that thought it was there for them.

Can Meath win? Well, tradition does count when these two meet and the Royals will not fear Dublin like other counties do. They’ve done a bit of strolling to this final too, obliterating Carlow and comfortably seeing off Kildare. They’ve scored nine goals in doing so. The Dubs have only scored three but have had about 35 goal attempts and have constantly been trying to walk the ball into the net. This is just one of their potential weak spots. Their forwards have been very indulgent.

Twelve months ago Donegal sleepwalked into an Ulster final as seemingly invincible defending All-Ireland champions and were ambushed in the old-fashioned GAA sense. Monaghan believed they were good enough and played like it. If Meath have that inner voice telling them this is what Meath teams do – catch the Dubs – they have a right chance.

I couldn’t help noticing that wily rogue Liam Griffin prowling the corridors in Wexford Park on Saturday night. He’d spent the week before Wexford’s incredible and merited win explaining how it was too soon for this Wexford team. In truth, he was with the team all week, laying the false trail in public, but sowing the proper seeds in private. I wonder is Sean Boylan going to be sprung at Meath training by manager Mick O’Dowd this week? He could do worse.

All the smart money will be on Dublin but the best odds lie with Meath at a very enticing 11/2. The Dubs are there to be rattled and Meath have a knack of doing that. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Royals will be in this contest for most if not all of the 70 minutes. At some stage, the upset will be on.

Donegal and Monaghan

The Ulster final is a rematch of last year and, as already mentioned, that was a real shock. Forewarned is forearmed for Jim McGuinness but in truth, Monaghan look a better team than 12 months ago, while Donegal appear to have flatlined. Both of these teams look a little bit short of an All-Ireland winning team but Monaghan certainly have more scope for improvement. Having said that, I fancy Donegal for this match because that’s the way it goes in Ulster. Once you eliminate the obvious, then you usually arrive at what will occur in reality. Ironically I do not see Donegal making much of an impact in August, but Monaghan can and might. Sunday’s provincial final result might just be one that can be discounted once it is over – it’s about the Anglo-Celt Cup, not Sam Maguire aspirations.

Football qualifiers

Roscommon and Armagh, Clare and Kildare are two more tasty qualifier morsels and hopefully we might see a surprise here as well. We’d take either a Clare or a Roscommon in the last 12 but alas we won’t see both. The Rossies are the underdogs’ main hope although both “weaker” counties are at home. I’ll be in Ennis with my fingers crossed and praying we could do a Cork on it. In my childhood memory, every time the Cork hurlers went out early, the footballers then did something and vice-versa (the record books of the ’70s and ’80s bear this out). So with our hurlers gone, maybe the footballers will pick up the mantle.

Waterford and Wexford

For hurling fans, Waterford and Wexford could be a cracker in Nowlan Park on Saturday. At last Sky are going to get real championship hurling.

(By the way if you ever wanted to know what is wrong with the format of the hurling championship, here’s an interesting stat: this is only the second time these two will have met in championship hurling. Neighbouring hurling counties? In 130-odd years of hurling? It’s crazy.)

The Yellow Bellies are on a high and justifiably so. I was in Wexford Park on Saturday night and they were magnificent. Over the two games and 180 minutes of hurling, they were better than Clare. They have now beaten the All-Ireland champions and done it the hard way – they should fear no one. This will be their third game in three weekends and both of the previous two went to extra time, but that really isn’t an issue when you’re winning. While the Déise will be delighted to see them and not Clare, I expect Wexford to build on their shock win and take Waterford. They could yet be the story of the summer. That might even cap what Clare did last year.

All it will take for Wexford is composure. They missed a lot of chances to put Clare away and while this is the norm for teams not used to hitting the finishing line in front, if they hit a day when that ball goes over the bar and the passes stick, well they have the hurlers to trouble anyone. They also have the swashbuckling style the championship always needs. It’s great to see them back at the top table again. And be in no doubt, they have beaten the champions, they are back. We really need their team and supporters to believe that as well.

All our hurling hopes are now vested in them. No pressure, lads – just confidence.