1. And Dublin were going to be relegated!
Mayo were licked out the gate by the visiting Dubs on Saturday evening. But cannot feel any sympathy for the men in green and red.

After all Dublin have dished out similar championship hidings to their Pale neighbours over the past decade. Just ask Meath, Westmeath, Laois or Kildare about the experience.

And Gavins men are capable of repeating the feat many times in the months ahead. Not only in Leinster but beyond as Monaghan can testify from their quarter final clash last summer.

Got the feeling that the Dubs and Kerry will lock horns sometime around late August or September itself.

As for the suggestion that the defending League champions were in trouble prior to the Mayo game? As much chance as Ireland winning the Cricket World Cup.

Bernard Brogan and his Dublin team mates had the Mayo defence stretched. ©INPHO.

2. Human Cats
Yes. The Kilkenny hurling Cats appear mere human afterall.

Not alone does Brian Cody experience three consecutive defeats for the first time ever but that beating in the backyard of neighbours Tipp was rough to say the least.

Proves that you just cannot lose a catalogue of top hurlers like J J Delaney, Brian Hogan, Tommy Walsh, Aidan Fogarty, David Herity etc and expect to remain on your winning ways.

Kilkenny are better equipped than any to counteract such losses and write the Black and Amber off at your own peril. But expect the Liam McCarthy to be heading further west or south west when September comes.

First timer, three defeats on the trot for Kilkenny and Brian Cody. ©INPHO.

3. Good Travellers
What an unusual NFL campaign for Cavan. Inconsistency appears the name of the game for Terry Hylands lot.

Mr Spillane had another go at them last night but they wont be too far off the top two spots in their group.

Amazingly the Breffni Blues have yet to score a goal in the campaign, the only team in the country who have failed to find the net.

Furthermore the men from south Ulster have yet to record a league point on home soil while remain unbeaten on their travels with five points garnered from their visits to Galway, Laois and Roscommon.

Cavan just cannot score a goal. Galway 'keeper Manus Breathnach saves Martin Dunne's penalty. ©INPHO.

4. A Mone for Derry
Some performance by Dessie Mone in Monaghans defeat of Derry.

The terrier like wing back cum corner man has been putting attackers out of their stride for over a decade now.

But the arrival of manager Malachy O Rourke has added an extra dimension to his game. That of an over lapping defender or best still as a half forward.

Yesterdays display in Clones tops the lot though and lining out at right half forward his haul of 0-4 from play takes some beating for a converted attacker.

The performance of the weekend - maybe. But definitely the switch of the weekend.

Dessie Mone. ©INPHO.

5. Orchard Record Breakers
Team of the week?  As usual a few contenders but how about an unusual suspect? The Armagh hurlers.

Possessing limited resources and according to the stats men Armagh have never beaten Meath in a competitive game of hurling.

So what do the Boys from the county Armagh do? Head to Trim and beat the locals in the NHL.

And win in the best possible way known, that via a last minute goal.

Two points in it at the finish, 1-17 to 1-15. Well done Armagh.

Armagh hurlers, winners in Trim.

6. Brave Men in Black
Some brave refereeing decisions over the weekend.

Kilkenny official Sean Cleere set the ball in motion on Saturday night when sending off Limerick star Shane Dowling, normally so clean a player, with the ball hardly thrown in and in front of a partisan home crowd.

Visitors Offaly pulled off a merited win on Shannonside but one wonders about the outcome had Limericks top scorer remained on the field.

And yesterday ref Fergal Horgan disallowed a late, late, goal strike from Galway attacker Jason Flynn.

Square ball was the reason offered but had the goal stood matters would have ended all square and everybody reasonably happy. Instead the Tipp man had to run the gauntlet of angry home supporters.

A strange ruling from Fergal Kelly in Newbridge and again in the games dying seconds.

Roscommon had Kildare well beaten and were leading on a 0-24 over 2-12 scoreline when the Longford official awarded a penalty to the home side.

A row ensued and the referee brought proceedings to a halt before the penalty could be taken.

It had no bearing on the final result but those three extra points, had Kildare converted the penalty, could be vital re score difference come the end of what is developing into one tight group.

Guess we have not heard the end of this incident. But that old question. 'Who would want to be a referee?'

Jason Flynn had a late goal disallowed. ©INPHO.

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