Roscommon can give Dublin a real test on Sunday at Croke Park, with both sides almost certain to advance to the knockout stages of the All-Ireland football championship.

That was the view of former Tyrone player Enda McGinley on the RTÉ GAA Podcast this week.

You have to go back to August 1980 for the last time the Rossies managed a championship victory at GAA HQ and they're very much the outsiders against the Leinster champions.

While some fixtures - Sligo v Kildare last week, Louth v Cork this week - are seen as 'must not lose' for the counties involved, this meeting at Croke Park has been described in some quarters as a free shot for both sides.

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If there is to be a loser they'll still fancy their chances of picking up the requisite points against Sligo or Kildare in order to secure a top three spot in the group.

For McGinley, it means that the pressure is off and that, having had over a month to prepare for the game since their Connacht SFC semi-final lost to Galway, Roscommon can have a real crack at Dublin.

"We saw their performance against Mayo; it was phenomenal," he began.

"[Davy] Burke can really target a game and you can see that he loves the big teams coming. They've had a bit of time to prepare for this one and they'll be gunning.

"It's in Croke Park, which will be tough for them, but I'd have a belief that Davy Burke will have those boys well set up for this game. They'll make it very sticky for Dublin.

"Unless Dublin are in the mood, which has been hit or miss, then it absolutely could be a Roscommon win."

The Dubs demolished Louth in the Leinster final earlier this month which led Tomás Ó Sé to question Mickey Harte's tactics, arguing that the former Tyrone supremo had left things too open.

The massive victory followed a provincial semi-final where Kildare had Dessie Farrell's side on the ropes, but couldn't land the knockout blow.

McGinley is expecting Roscommon to attempt to close up shop but their success in this regard will depend on which Dubs team shows up.

"The biggest unknown there is Dublin,' he continued.

"They can be imperious in spells, or games - that has been pretty rare over the past two years. Both teams will still march through the group [either way], you'd imagine."

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Watch highlights of the weekend's football and hurling championship action on The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game, 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player