Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Blocked toilets, Philly busters and taking Dubs out of their comfort zone

'The Dubs' toilets are blocked and they are not happy. I’m sorry, everything was working perfectly earlier in the week. They will think we planned it. I’m so sorry'

CLOSE COMBAT: Jack Savage, left, and Paul Geaney of Kerry tussle off the ball with Dublin players, Michael Fitzsimons, Stephen Cluxton and Philip McMahon. Pic: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

ONE of the big lessons that teams took out of last year's football championship is the importance of avoiding the preliminary quarter-final, where possible. Obviously the teams that have already lost thrice will grab that lifeline with both hands. While one year's results isn’t a big enough sample to definitively declare that avoiding the extra match is a must, big picture wise, common sense dictates that a weekend off and avoiding the group winners, rather than three hard weekends in a row, is much more desirable. 

It is why, finally, the championship should have that proper knockout feel to it this weekend. There should be an edge to proceedings, an edge conspicuous by its absence so far.