When Dublin and Wexford last met in the Leinster Senior Football final in 2008 the Dubs won by a whopping 23 points. But Wexford re-grouped, took the scenic route and got to the All-Ireland semifinals, while Dublin fell at the quarterfinal stage. Such are the benefits of a good run in the qualifiers. On Sunday next Dublin will be favorites to win when they Wexford again in the Leinster final, but they are unlikely to do so by a similar margin to the one in 2008. This will be Dublin's 27th consecutive championship game at Croke Park and while some people claim that Hill 16 is worth a few points to team in blue, most counties love playing at Croke Park because of the brilliant atmosphere it produces. Wexford, who had an easy win over Carlow at GAA headquarters at the semifinal stage, will not be overawed. Last year Dublin needed extra time to get by the Yellow Bellies at the quarterfinal stage. There was a time when Wexford probably depended too much on corner forward Mattie Forde for scores. Now the scoring is spread around and their stars are Ciaran Lyng and Ben Brosnan, who are both near the top of the individual scoring charts this summer. Wexford are top scorers in the football championship with a whopping seven goals and 53 points in their first three games in Leinster. Still Dublin will provide a much sterner test than Offaly, Westmeath or Carlow did for Wexford. The Dubs will be without influential midfielder Michael Dara McAuley, who broke his finger in the semifinal win over Kildare and full forward Eoghan O'Gara, who was sent off against Kildare. Ger Brennan will probably be given the number 14 jersey again and the Dubs have plenty of options at midfield and will, I think, be too strong for the boys from the South East.
CUMMINS SET TO ECLIPSE RING
I suppose it's appropriate that Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins will equal Christy Ring's long standing championship appearance record in Cork on Sunday net when he lines out against Waterford in the Munster Senior hurling final. This year's final is being played at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, a ground where the man known as the 'Wizard of Cloyne' played many of his games when the venue was known as the Athletic Grounds. In Ring's day there was no backdoor and he played for a record 23 seasons, but then records are made to be broken and win, lose or draw on Sunday Cummins seems guaranteed to set new record of 66 appearances in the coming weeks. But will Tipp head to Croke Park via the front door as Munster champions or the back door route? The reigning All-Ireland champions are many pundits favorites to retain the MacCarthy Cup this year, but Déise manager Davy Fitzgerald seems to always be able to get something special from this group of Waterford hurlers. The Tipp forwards do get a lot of goals, three against Cork and four in the semifinal win over Clare. Waterford also have a match winner in corner forward John Mullane, but I fancy Tipp in what could well be a high scoring game.
MEATH TO DISPOSE OF GALWAY IN QUALIFIER
The meeting of Meath and Galway in Navan on Saturday evening next is the pick of the second round of football qualifiers. Meath manager Seamus McEnaney looked to be in trouble after the defeat to Kildare when he gambled on bringing back 38-year-old Graham Geraghty. The former Meath captain had the ball in the net, but it was disallowed and questions were asked as to why McEnaney left it so late in the game to introduce Geraghty. Graham missed the qualifier win over Louth and he is likely to be on the bench on Saturday evening in Navan. Galway are very poor this year and I fancy Meath to progress. Mick O'Dwyer's intercounty managerial career could come to an end on Saturday evening at the Athletic Grounds where Armagh play Wicklow. The 75-year-old Kerryman will be taking charge of an intercounty team for the 129th time in his long career, but while this is likely to be his last game in charge of Wicklow don't be surprised if Micko is back next year. Down will fancied to beat Leitrim in Newry and London can record a second win via the back door route when Waterford travel to Ruislip. Kildare have a tough fixture against Laois in Portlaoise, but I think they can win. Elsewhere Longford are home to Tyrone, Offaly travel to Limerick and Antrim play Carlow at Casement Park.
DOOLEY QUITS
Joe Dooley has become the first intercounty manager to quit this summer. Dooley quit after four years in charge of the Offaly hurlers. He said the incidents where the team were prevented from training at O'Connor Park, Tullamore "didn't help." Dooley, who works as a property manager for the ESB, said: ''I have four years done and it's a big drain on your time. With my job I travel all over the country and I already have a very busy day job.''
Meanwhile sad news about another former intercounty hurler. Ger Loughnane, who managed his native Clare to All-Ireland success in 1995 and 1997 and later managed Galway, is battling leukemia. The 57-year-old, who was only diagnosed three weeks ago, is currently getting treatment at St James' Hospital in Dublin.
MCMANUS BACKS LIMERICK
Thanks to financial backing from J.P. McManus, Limerick F.C. hope to be back playing at the Market's Field next year. Limerick played at the famous greyhound racing track until 1984 when they moved to Rathbane. Limerick has also secured the services of two former Cork City players Denis Behan and Joe Gamble, who have both returned from English clubs. Behan is a native of Abbeyfeale.
Meanwhile Behan is among the preliminary squad of 35 named by manager Damien Richardson for the Dublin Super Cup at the end of the month. The reason for the big squad is that players from Shamrock Rovers, St Patrick's and Sligo Rovers will be excused if they are still involved in European football. Last year Richardson's League selection were hammered 7-1 by Manchester United and some League of Ireland managers felt he was not the right man for the job. But the experienced Dubliner is without a club at present and for that reason he will probably have no hidden agenda when picking a team.
DEATH OF SEAN WIGHT
The death has taken place in Australia of former Kerry minor footballer Seán Wight. Born in Glasgow, Wight moved to Listowel with his parents and joined Listowel Emmets and went on to play for the Kerry minors in the 1982 All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin. A noted high fielder Wight was the first player to move to Australia as part of the 'Irish experiment' and played alongside Jim Stynes for Melbourne, blazing a trail for other Irish Gaelic Footballers to switch codes and move down under. Like Stynes, who is still battling cancer, Wight found out recently that he too had cancer and died last week at the age of 47.
