August 12, Croke Park

The further Dublin advance, the more the whole adventure takes on the trappings of theatre. Sport, including GAA sports, has always had this element and managers and sundry advisors are constantly looking for something that will give their team an edge in the psychological battle that precedes and permeates a big game.

Dublin, in the last two matches, have hit upon a new device. When they come out onto the pitch they line up on the '40' and walk slowly, arms around one another's shoulders, into the Hill. And I purposely choose the word 'into' rather than 'down' because there is almost a mystical element of the team merging with the supporters. Communion.

A lot of oul nonsense you might say, and there are those who object to the team appearing to assume that the denizens of the Hill are in some way more representative of the fancy than the rest of us spread around the place. Well I've been listening to that for a long time. There is an element of truth to it but there is also the fact that the Hill is an integral part of the mythology of Dublin football. Besides, if it advances the common goal any further it is worth doing.

Mind you there are some people I wouldn't fancy communing with. Gangs of creatures who don't look like the Junior Bs and who it would be hard to imagine any club in the county letting past the front door, never mind providing tickets to. And yet they always seem to have tickets when others are forced to scrabble around for them. There are a number of theories as to how they get them but lack of any real evidence precludes me saying any more for the time being.

Then there's the idiots like the junkie looking couple who arrived in front of myself and Ciara in the Hogan. Ten minutes into the first half and out of their faces, too fucking pissed and stupid to even find their seats. They sit for a while and even in the midst of the excitement you can't help noticing them. He, like a 10 year-old in the school yard, trying to have a sly smoke. She, looking around for anyone she might recognise. They leave before half time to get more drink. Come back ten minutes into the second half and then leave five minutes later. The only time they look vaguely interested is when there is a Mexican wave. If I see them at the semi-final I'm going to push them over the edge of the stand.

Any lingering fear that Westmeath would emulate their performance of 2004 was quickly banished as Dublin began in the manner of men determined to put the thing to bed as quickly as possible. Cosgrove was the first forward to receive the ball after Dublin won the throw-in and earned the honour of also being the first player to kick a wide.

Dublin won the kick-out but Mossy was beaten to the low pass into the right corner by Francis Boyle. Westmeath managed to set up their first attack but it came to a crunching end with a heavy challenge by Ciaran Whelan on Denis Glennon. Play resumed with a short free by Alan Mangan to Dessie Dolan and we held our breaths. He is a player who if he starts well can cause havoc. It was not to be his day, however, and his shot went wide of the posts.

Dublin got their first point after five minutes when Quinn kicked over from about 30 yards slightly to the left of the goal after Sherlock had been brought down. Kevin Bonner gathered the kick-out and passed to Keaney who bore quickly down on goal amid a rising crescendo around the stadium. However, he mishit his kick which went harmlessly wide.

Dessie Dolan had another wide on seven minutes and Dublin responded with a quick counter-attack that ended with Alan Brogan kicking over. The next attack saw a long ball find Quinn on the edge of the square with only the goalkeeper to beat but Gary Connaughton managed to get a hand in and prevent a certain goal.

Right corner forward John Connellan scored Westmeath's first point after 11 minutes but Dublin responded quickly. Whelan gathered Stephen Cluxton's kick-out close to the Cusack sideline. An on-rushing Coman Goggins received the pass and suddenly found himself with open space between himself and the goal. Instead of passing as he ought he went for the point and kicked a wide.

Then on 14 minutes the game was for all intents and purposes decided as a contest. Keaney got the ball on the Hogan side and lofted a high ball that appeared to be going over the bar. It didn't. Instead it came back off the upright and fell into the arms of a waiting Mossy who rounded his marker and made no mistake this time.

Keaney's poor shooting continued a minute later when he missed a free but Shane Ryan, who had a huge game at midfield and covered acres of ground, burst through several defenders before punching the ball over the bar. Dublin were five points clear and coasting.

On the rare occasions that Westmeath did manage to get past midfield they were confronted with bone shuddering tackles, constant shadowing and a number of outstanding blocks from Whelan, Griffin, Ryan and others. The Dublin backs did not concede any easy frees as their opponents were forced to fight for every scrap. When Michael Ennis was brought down on 18 minutes, Dolan converted the free from about 25 yards out in front of the Hill.

The next Westmeath attack floundered on a brilliant block from the huge white gloved hands of Whelan. The ball was moved quickly down field where Sherlock found himself in a similar position to Quinn when he had been foiled by Connaughton. Sherlock did manage to get in a shot but it blazed over instead of under the bar.

Once again a Westmeath offensive ran aground on Dublin bodies with a superb shoulder by Paul Griffin on Dolan who many had predicted would take him to the cleaners. Cosgrove pointed on 23 minutes but Keaney had another wide a minute later. On 26 minutes Alan Mangan was fouled but Dolan managed to hit the post from 21 yards. It came back to midfielder Paul Bannon but his shot was way off target. To even things up Quinn had another bad wide a minute later.

All of the Dublin backs were outstanding but Paul Casey stood out in the first period for his close marking of Derek Heavin who was held scoreless and later substituted and for the amount of breaking ball he won, some of it when the odds were in favour of his immediate opponent. On 31 minutes Damien Healy was penalised for sitting on Jason, who made a bit of a kick at him, and Quinn put over the free.

A couple of minutes later Sherlock had another chance for a goal when getting the better of Healy on the edge of the square but shot low and to the right of the post. A minute after that, Bryan Cullen, who was winning ball in midfield and growing in confidence, came forward but he too added his name to the growing list of widers. To end his nightmare of a first half Dessie Dolan missed another kickable free in injury time. Dublin led 1 - 7 to 0 - 2.

Myself and Ciara went in search of refreshments with a light heart and a cheery countenance. We met old chums who were equally merry and god forgive us we took comfort from the glum expressions and hang dog postures of the chaps in maroon who were huddled around whispering and smoking in corners. Not in a triumpahlist manner. More as a confirmation of what we already knew. The game was up.

The second half began as the first with Shane Ryan winning the throw-in. Brogan received it and sent in a long and dangerous ball to the square but Connaughton was quick off his line and beat Quinn. Dolan had another wide after 36 minutes.

The only worrying sign was that Ciaran Whelan appeared to have picked up an ankle injury and was visibly hobbling. Dublin were attacking in waves and in the manner of men determined to find the net and bring closure. A Cosgrove effort fell short but Brogan simply took the ball out of the hands of the defender and transferred to Quinn who kicked it wide.

The first point of the half came on 3 minutes when Brogan scored following another move that began with Cullen winning the ball in midfield and passes between Whelan and Goggins who on this occasion decided not to essay any uncharacteristic attempts at a score. Cullen also initiated the next attack but this ended with a wide from Bonner who hasn't as yet fulfilled the promise he showed in the O'Byrne Cup as a man who can kick points.

The number of wides accumulated - 16 over the course of the entire match - was one of the chief talking points afterwards. Only five Dublin players scored points from play and two came from midfielders Shane Ryan and Darren Magee, who came on in place of Whelan. In contrast eight posted wides. Keaney was the worst offender with six followed by Mossy who miss-hit three although in fairness one was a goal chance that owed more to the skill of Connaughton in getting his hand in.

Brogan was the most efficient of the forwards, kicking four points from four attempts. While the wides are somewhat of a cause for concern they are unlikely to sow panic among the Dublin mentors. Keaney just had an off day that was compensated for by other aspects of his play. It is also a good sign that there are so many forwards now who have the confidence to have a go even from distance and who in general have a good strike rate. If the stakes are higher one would also like to assume that possession will be used more economically and precisely and that when goal chances present they will be taken.

One of the debilitating features of Dublin's play in recent years when they were struggling - and you could safely include most years since 1995 - was the almost neurotic hesitancy of forwards to go for scores. How many times in the late 90s, and even more recently, did we see waves of Dublin attacks with the opposition on the back foot - Kerry in Thurles in 2001 and in Croke Park two years ago spring to mind - founder on short-passing themselves into trouble or taking the wrong option?

That, allied with the pre-Mossy dearth of a consistent free-kicker constituted a huge millstone around the neck of the team. And an insurmountable obstacle in the path of any team with serious ambitions of winning the All Ireland. So let's keep things in perspective. 16 wides against Westmeath are a symptom of abundance, not the harbinger of famine.

Keaney's ill-luck continued when he put the ball against the upright and again a minute later following an attack that had begun with a brilliant dispossession by Casey. The next offensive also began with a turnover, this time by David Henry who was brave and tenacious throughout, and this time it fell to Whelan to sent the ball awry.

If anything Dublin were even more dominant in the first 10 minutes than they had been at any stage in the first half but had only extended the lead to nine points. That might have been increased when a Quinn free dropped under the crossbar to be punched home by Cosgrove but he was adjudged by referee Brian Crowe to have been in the square.

That gave Westmeath a tiny glimmer of hope and Michael Ennis had a goal chance which he put over the bar. Soon after that, however, Griffin's pre-eminence in his duel with Dessie Dolan was again demonstrated with a superb block. Whelan went down on 13 minutes and while he was receiving treatment Kevin Bonner was called ashore to be replaced by his Brigid's clubmate Declan Lally.

Westmeath's leading goalscorer Gary Dolan, who was completely over-shadowed throughout by Cullen, won possibly his only primary possession of the game and went for goal but was forced to kick wide under relentless pressure from the indomitable Skerries man. Westmeath did score on 18 minutes through Glennon and Dublin responded with another wide from Keaney. The game was dead as a contest and devoid now of much excitement.

Cosgrove was replaced by Daithi O'Callaghan after 21 minutes but it was clear that change was required in midfield where Whelan had faded badly after receiving a knock to his head. He was left on until several minutes later when Darren Magee came on. Whelan received a huge ovation as he left the field but he appeared to take little notice. This gave rise to a rumour that he had been concussed but that was later dismissed by Dave Billings who announced that Whelan was in full health and had trained on Tuesday evening.

Dublin's first point in 20 minutes came after Keaney converted a free won by Sherlock. Two minutes later Jason was fouled again and this time Mossy did the honours only to be replaced directly by Mark Vaughan whose appearance caused some revival of enthusiasm amongst the fancy.

With four minutes remaining Vaughan got his first touch of the ball when he received a pass from O'Callaghan and transferred to Magee who scored a nice point. As the clock would down, Dublin made their fifth and final substitution when captain Colin Moran came on in place of Sherlock who had had a huge game and whose departure must have come as a relief to his markers.

On 33 minutes another Westmeath attack was broken up and turned over. Lally received the ball and passed to Alan Brogan who kicked Dublin's last score of the afternoon. It was an efficient end to a good day for the Plunkett's man. However, the final point of the day fell to John Smith of Westmeath who converted a free deep into time added on. At least he will have something to tell the neighbours.

Afterwards someone remarked to me that they had hoped it would have been more exciting. No thanks. I've had more than enough excitement connected to Dublin playing the likes of Westmeath over the years and it usually ends badly. I am prepared to postpone my excitement quotient until that Sunday in September. If it comes.

There was certainly an element of anti-climax afterwards and the fancy was quietly satisfied, rather than raucously celebrant, as it wend its way from the ground. Even the pubs seemed quieter than normal. A case of a job well done, and an indication too of how high our expectations are and that, like the team, we are aware of the danger of peaking too soon!

We leave the Clonliffe House early and head to Fagans which is packed tightly but we find a table and Ciara sets the alarm on my phone. I have little under a half an hour to talk bullshit. And I make the most of it. To Gerard's contention that they beat nothing, and that they need to be worried about the amount of wides I counter. Dublin will make every team look that bad. And hold the gaze of my incredulous interlocutors. "Are you serious?"

I am ….. I think….. I don't know. None of us do but it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Dublin could win the All Ireland without ever being seriously challenged. A remote possibility and one that will above all be challenged by the men of the South if events transpire as most believe they will. Before that they must overcome Mayo or Laois who played out an exciting draw on Sunday.

A thought struck me about that match. Westmeath would have given either a game. Not beaten them perhaps but would have stayed with them for most of the match. If that is close to the truth then Dublin will beat whoever emerges from the replay perhaps with something in hand.

And yes. I am only too aware how these words may come back to haunt me.