When reflecting the other day on the fact that we’ve just passed the halfway point of the football decade, the mind soon turned to the journey home from the heart-stopping, Croker-packed 2010 All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Dublin.

What’s seldom is wonderful for Donncha O’Connor right now. Tomorrow’s semi-final represents just his third start of the campaign.

Naturally, it’s been radio silence with his college housemate Paul Flynn this week, but Aidan Walsh doesn’t forget what the Dublin footballer did for him earlier this year.

It’s rare the media finds Conor Counihan in anything but a good mood and Monday evening’s press evening ahead of their All-Ireland quarter-final was another of those occasions.

Cork are poised to line out with an unchanged team when they meet Dublin in Saturday night's much-anticipated All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park (throw-in 7pm).

Conor Counihan has dismissed the influence of the Dublin crowd in Croke Park next Saturday.

It’s been fun so far, eh?

GAA president Liam O’Neill has suggested he would not be uncomfortable with match officials referring to replays on a giant TV screen when making major calls — so long as the decision reached proved to be correct.

Kildare star Dermot Earley will continue his return to inter-county action tonight in the low-key arena of the Leinster junior championship when the Lilywhites face Kilkenny in a quarter-final tie in St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge at 7.30pm.

The GAA’s new referees committee chairman Pat McEnaney says his match officials must earn respect and not expect to be given it by players.

Roscommon U21 boss Nigel Dineen believes Dublin’s loss is the Rossies’ gain as Fingallians’ Donal Keane faces his native county on Sunday.

The GAA’s Hawk Eye will not follow rugby’s television match official (TMO) style when it is given its debut in Croke Park in June.

ALAN BROGAN has instructed his Dublin team-mates to stop their tendency of ‘switching-off’ if they are to continue their 100% record in Allianz Division One.