Kerry and Dublin are waiting in the wings. It's fair to say that there is a great sense of expectation as to who'll be joining them in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The expectation is based primarily on the confidence that Monaghan v Tyrone and Mayo v Donegal will be tight, compelling affairs - a marked contrast then to the one-sided fare from last weekend.
First up at Croke Park is the all-Ulster clash at 4pm. It's a repeat of the 2013 quarter-final clash involving the sides which Tyrone won by two points.
Monaghan progression v Tyrone momentum
Ciarán Whelan believes that the Farney are now a better outfit than they were two years ago and will be better prepared for the challenge that awaits.
"Monaghan were in bonus territory two years ago and Tyrone caught them cold," he said.
"Monaghan this year had a lot more time to re-group after beating Donegal. They made it very clear after the Ulster final that that game was just a step in their journey this year. Monaghan are in a better place now. Malachy O'Rourke is a shrewd manager. I was impressed by the way he got his key match-ups right against and kept Donegal's big players under wraps.
Tyrone's record through the qualifiers is impressive and this afternoon's clash is their tenth All-Ireland quarter-final appearance in 13 seasons, prompting Whelan to add that "Tyrone are in a very, very nice position".
"They are coming in as underdogs and have built momentum through the qualifiers. If you look at Donegal and the teams they've had to play over the last few months, well than Tyrone have had a relatively easy passage back to Croke Park. When Mickey Harte gets the side back to Croker it tends to bring the best out in them."
And while the former Dublin star sees The Red Hand as a potentially dangerous opponent, he feels Monaghan are equipped to deal with the threat.
"Tyrone are coming in dangerous and have a few key players that are important to them, but Monaghan will have the personnel to put them under pressure and are a much more experienced outfit now. They also have better subs bench. I feel Tyrone are in a bit of transition and Monaghan will have too much for them.
“That said Monaghan went 25 minutes in the Ulster final without scoring and so they have a bit to work on. I still think, however, that they'll have a something in hand come the final whistle.
Battle of the big men
At 6pm, Mayo and Donegal come face-to-face again - a match to savour!
Our analyst feels there is probably more pressure on the Connacht side to a certain degree and that this evening's clash is "the first big acid test" for joint-managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly.
"Have Mayo learned from the mistakes of the past? We all know they'll beat most teams by playing an attacking style of football and pressing high up the pitch. Yet, they leave space at the back and that makes them vulnerable and Donegal will only relish that. Mayo should take note at the way Donegal hit Dublin with sucker punches last year {All-Ireland semi-final] and then look at how Kerry, on the other hand, held their defensive shape and made life difficult for Donegal in the All-Ireland final.
Michael Murphy and Aidan O'Shea will be central to the outcome of this quarter-final, with Whelan claiming that "Mayo don't have anyone in their back six that is capable of marking Michael Murphy," before adding that "the plan they come up to cope with his strength will have to be a good one".
On O'Shea's deployment at full-forward, Whelan said: "He is going to attract a lot of attention from Donegal and that might free up a bit of space for the Mayo half-forward line to punch holes and pick off a few scores."
Midfield, not surprisingly, will also be key as the Sunday Game pundit offers his verdict.
"Donegal tend to win games on the back of midfield dominance. Seamus O'Shea and Tom Parsons are a good pairing for Mayo there and if they can cut off the threat from Paul Durcan's kickouts, then that could go some Way in Mayo getting the victory.
"If they can keep a few of Donegal's bigger players quiet I think they've got the quality in their ranks to get over the line. I'm going to go for Mayo and trust that they'll get the balance right in their game plan especially in keeping it tight at the back."
