We have only one Ulster side left in this year’s All-Ireland Championship and if you listen to the pundits, Tyrone might as well not turn up against Dublin in Croke Park next Saturday.

Tyrone have been sluggish in getting this far — more perspiration than inspiration.

But the O’Neill County are still in the last eight.

I listen with interest as people say it’s been a poor enough footballing Championship.

Great tribute is paid to Kerry against Monaghan, their weekend joust with Galway and Fermanagh’s run through Ulster, but, obviously, some of those same people weren’t in Newry for that replay victory of Down over Tyrone.

Now, that literally was a game-and-a-half, with 30 minutes of extra time.

Despite defeat, at certain times Tyrone showed glimpses of their old brilliant best.

The problem for Tyrone is that they haven’t been showing enough of that this season and that’s why they have struggled to make a real impact.

In attack they’ve been forced to battle on without the brilliant duo Peter Canavan and Stephen O’Neill.

But last time out against Mayo they showed yet again they are a team worth watching.

The effort from all the players on show that day was immense.

The really annoying thing for me is that not enough Tyrone people were there to watch it.

With two All-Ireland titles under their belt, the Tyrone fans appear to be all-knowing at this stage.

They, too, have bought into the idea that this is a poor Tyrone side. I don’t agree.

Tyrone may have struggled but they deserve support, and not just from Tyrone fans, but now from all of Ulster.

Remember these are the same lads who have delivered National League, Ulster and All-Ireland titles, so shame on the Tyrone fans content to sit at home and snipe, rather than show their support.

Manager Mickey Harte has taken unfair criticism in recent seasons and yet he continues to try and do his best for Tyrone — to win.

If the Tyrone fans are any good they should make the march to Croke Park next week a pilgrimage for yet another clash with the mighty Dubs.

It will be an 82,000 sell-out on Jones’s Road with most of the tickets going to the Capital side and all of the experts tipping Dublin.

In all honesty, what more can the Tyrone fans ask for?

Tyrone 2008 may not be the vintage of 2005, but that was a team in a million.

Remember that was the side who humbled the mighty Kerry in one of the greatest All-Ireland Finals of all-time.

Tyrone go to Croke Park next week missing some top-class players but nothing can be done about that.

You can only play with the hand you are dealt.

Dublin will go into the game as red-hot favourites but you wonder how much they have improved since Tyrone beat them in a replay in 2005.

For me, this is going to be one of the games of the Championship and I’m really looking forward to it.

The winners will be hot tips to beat Wexford and make the All-Ireland Final next month.

There is huge pride at stake, but just for a second forget the odds and the experts.

There is one niggling little thing that will be preying on the minds of Paul Caffrey and his Dublin team.

They might protest and proclaim "no way!" in public, but this is a Dublin side who are afraid of their northern invaders.

Let’s hope Tyrone go to Croke Park and scare the living daylights out of them.

Any spare tickets?