For a while there, the dunes of Banna Strand were threatening to become for Kerry what the hill in Crusheen was for the Clare hurlers in 1995 or the Spartan-esque Bere Island for Cork’s footballers in 2010. 

From early on yesterday, it was pleasing on the eye to see Dublin and Kerry going with man-on-man match-ups. 

Kerry and Donegal are expected to contest the proposed €7,500 fines handed down to them following Sunday’s fractious Division 1 game in Tralee.

Kerry and Donegal are braced for the prospect of €5,000 fines and retrospective bans arising from Sunday’s melee-marred Division 1 game in Austin Stack Park.

Kerry 1-13 Donegal 1-8: He said afterwards the win enabled Kerry to look up towards play-off possibilities rather than look down at relegation threats, but Éamonn Fitzmaurice will look ahead with relish to anything the spring and summer can throw at him after this.

Donegal manager Rory Gallagher expressed his annoyance in the dressing room area to referee Eddie Kinsella over his handling of a fractious first 35 minutes in Tralee yesterday.

Oisin McConville had no issue with Castlebar time-wasting after they took the lead, but blamed referee Eddie Kinsella for losing control towards the end of Saturday night’s AIB All-Ireland club semi-final.

A point two minutes from time from Mayo midfielder Barry Moran clinched Castlebar's place in the AIB All-Ireland club SFC final for the second time in three years.

Seamus O’Shea admits he baulks when he hears people blame referees for Mayo’s 2014 and ’15 All-Ireland semi-final replay defeats.

Sunday: Croke Park, 3.30pm

February 2011 and Dublin have beaten Cork by six points. Under the Hogan Stand, Pat Gilroy is quietly praising his team for getting their discipline in check in the second half, but his calm words betray his delight. Inside he’s dancing.

Getting chilly, isn’t it?

We await the exact reasoning behind the Disputes Resolution Authority’s decision to rescind Diarmuid Connolly’s red card but it can safely be said the GAA’s appeals structure is undermining the authority of referees on and off the field.

Dublin 3-15 Mayo 1-14: It lacked the deliriousness of the All-Ireland semi-final replay 12 months earlier, when Mayo and Kerry set Limerick alight, but this last four second act wanted for little else, save the sort of dramatic ending that seemed a given for so long.

Redemption. Reformation. Rehabilitation.

Seconds out, round two. After last Sunday’s rumbustious draw, never has boxing parlance been more appropriate. So what can we expect this evening? More of the same? Here are 10 pointers:

Dublin chairman Sean Shanley said they will in all likelihood contest Diarmuid Connolly’s red card in an attempt to make him available for Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final.

The lack of competitive games this weekend ensured they passed without any major controversy, even as we get close to the summit of the football season.

Our exchange of salutations with Conor McCarthy in Killarney on Saturday was a brief one. 

Armagh 2-17 Wicklow 2-7: Shooting practice will be taking centre stage at Armagh training sessions over the next two weeks, with Kieran McGeeney labelling some of their misses in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday as "criminal".

Down manager Jim McCorry has questioned the level of training given to umpires in the wake of Conall McGovern’s controversial dismissal in Sunday’s Ulster SFC defeat by Derry.

As a body of men, umpires have not often been praised for their dynamism and alertness, writes Conor Neville.

In recent years, lots of people, including myself, have been looking for linesmen and umpires to get more involved in assisting referees with making disciplinary calls.

A Ciaran Murtagh goal proved decisive as Roscommon advanced to a GAA Connacht SFC Semi-final date with Sligo, following a seven-point win in Ruislip.

Tyrone 0-17 Kerry 1-14: One was the magic number in Omagh yesterday.

* No team outside Division 1 is going to win the All-Ireland.

Former Donegal selector Damien Diver claims Kerry’s cynicism in last year’s All-Ireland final was a key component in them annexing the Sam Maguire Cup. 

Kerry board chairman Patrick O’Sullivan has challenged Dublin manager Jim Gavin’s claim Fionn Fitzgerald exaggerated his fall which led to Mick Fitzsimons’ sending off on Sunday.

Kerry captain Kieran Donaghy defended the performance of referee Eddie Kinsella in the wake of Sunday’s fiery league encounter with Dublin, insisting the Laois official was justified in flashing 12 cards.

Jim Gavin described the eight cards shown to Dublin players – one red, five yellow and two black – as "reactionary", hinting that the Kerry footballers influenced referee Eddie Kinsella.

Kerry 0-15 Dublin 1-10

Kerry 0-15 Dublin 1-10

Allianz FL Division 1 Round 2: Mayo 1-7 Tyrone 1-11: Rumours of Tyrone’s demise have been greatly exaggerated judging by the events that unfolded at MacHale Park, Castlebar yesterday.

Tyrone went back to basics to kick-start their NFL campaign, stunning Mayo with a defensive shut-out at McHale Park.

GAA president Liam O’Neill accepts there are strong grounds to change hurling’s penalty rule — but stresses the debate to alter it had begun long before two more were saved in Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice insists the Kingdom’s tactics for Sunday week’s All-Ireland football decider will not be influenced by the selection of match officials.

Joe McQuillan will referee Dublin’s All-Ireland senior football semi-final clash with Donegal on August 31 — the eighth time in four Championships he has taken charge of a game involving them.