Cork, of course, have already wrapped up the Munster title and on Sunday we have two potentially rivetting deciders on the menu when Dublin will meet Wexford in the Leinster final and Mayo will confront Galway in the Connacht showdown.

Not so very long ago, these pairings would have elicited a confident vote for Dublin and Galway to glide through to the All Ireland quarter-finals.

But given the events of this season to date, that may now be construed as something of a dangerous assumption to make.

Yes, the Dubs will be playing in front of their frenzied faithful in Croke Park and, yes, they have a strong tradition of success on their side compared to a Wexford team who have only come to the surface this term and have to go back over half-a-century for their last taste of provincial glory.

That's a long, long famine by any standards and it's no wonder that many people feel we may have already seen the best of Wexford this year.

Yet they appear to have discovered fresh self-belief and motivation under their personable young manager Jason Ryan.

And they have too a strong ration of experience, skill and steel in their side.

Theses qualities were very much in evidence when Wexford carved out promotion in Division Three of the National League and they were also to the fore when they beat Laois in the Leinster semi-final.

Even in more recent years, Wexford were invariably a difficult side to beat - something of which I was always very conscious when in charge of Armagh. Their fans have grown accustomed to sampling that winning feeling in recent months and they won't be particularly fazed at facing the Dubs in their own back yard.

Mattie Forde, so often Wexford's match-winner, is comfortable at Croke Park as are the bulk of the side.

Dublin will find themselves with rather more room to manoeuvre than they had against Westmeath, of course.

The midlanders tended to suffocate Paul Caffrey's side to some extent but I would expect a more open game on Sunday with the emphasis very much on attack from both teams.

I believe that Bernard Brogan's recent travails through suspension and now a hamstring injury will rob Dublin of one of their most exciting players.

He is the kind of player that can spark their attack, someone who brings a refreshing direction to the play.

Dublin's fans will not just settle for the Leinster title this year. Their sights are on the Sam Maguire Cup and why wouldnt they after a 13-year barren spell.

They should come through, albeit with only a modest margin to spare.

And those who believe that Galway will have a straightforward passage against Mayo should reflect on the fact that John O'Mahoney's side now have a rather steely edge.

John has taken a big decision by not including Ciaran McDonald but I have no doubt that he has gone down this road on the basis that the team ethic is more important than any one individual.

Mayo have something of a new look to them but O'Mahoney has been round the block a few times and has won two All Ireland titles for Galway.

Obviously he is more than familiar with the Tribesmen's style of play and will surely have a few tricks up his sleeve.

While Galway looked lively enough at times in the National League, they did not altogether impress me as a team who might be on the short list for the 'big one' although their manager Liam Sammon will feel they can win the Connacht crown.

Mayo could succeed Sligo as champions, though.

And isn't it depressing for all Yeats County fans to see their team squirming in relation to their involvement in the Tommy Murphy Cup. They can make a conscious decision to go for the Tommy Murphy Cup and this could prove a big step in their rehabilitation. For the moment, though, they are out of the limelight as the spotlight falls on the Old Firm of Galway and Mayo.