Dublin football supporters crash-landed back down to earth last night after the draw for round three of the All-Ireland qualifiers - and surely the hand of destiny too - pitted their team against the All-Ireland champions, Armagh.

Without doubt Armagh were the team most feared by Dublin, with the possible exception of Meath. Having been narrowly beaten in last year's All-Ireland semi-final, they were more comprehensively beaten by the same team at the start of the league.

So it means Dublin's championship campaign will continue where it ended last year.

As usual the GAA's Games Administration Committee will meet later today to decide the times and venues for the four games that make up round three, but all of which are scheduled to be played on Saturday. The remaining games see Offaly play Roscommon, Meath play Fermanagh, and Donegal play Tipperary.

But only one venue will top the list for the Dublin-Armagh game, and that is Croke Park. Though it will need the approval of the Armagh County Board, it seems certain the GAA headquarters will host the game, with a late Saturday afternoon throw-in equally likely. The following day Kilkenny meet Wexford in the Leinster hurling final, so that at least rules out a Sunday game at the venue.

There is the possibility, however, that Armagh might insist on a neutral venue. Their own home venue at the Athletic Grounds holds around 10,000, which is well below the sort of crowd the game will attract. Yet having beaten Dublin twice in Croke Park within the last 12 months there is unlikely to be a whole lot of objection to the trip to Dublin.

It is also known Armagh are eager to get back into the bigger picture, which a major game at Croke Park would ensure. So far they have been in the cold end of the qualifiers collapsing against Monaghan, firstly brushing past Waterford at Walsh Park, and then struggling to get past Antrim at Casement Park.

Dublin of course will be equally eager to get back to Croke Park, even if Saturday's trip to Clones was successful. The renewed enthusiasm that has come with the six-point win over Derry will also ensure a big turnout, which in turn ensures the sort of big pay-day the GAA doesn't get very often.

There is a little more debating involving the venues for the other three games, as it appears none of the teams are entitled to home advantage. The next option is to toss for home advantage, yet the meeting of Meath and Fermanagh could well be set for Clones.

Both the Roscommon and Offaly game, and the Donegal and Tipperary game, could be played at the home venues of the teams involved if it is decided to toss for home advantage.

Fermanagh added their name to the hat last night having come past Cavan earlier in the day, and in current form should be well matched with Meath. Roscommon and Offaly will be equally hard to call as both teams have genuine ambitions of progressing while Donegal manager Brian McEniff will continue to breathe a little easier having avoided the major threats.

The four teams that emerge from round three will meet the four beaten provincial finalists, none of which are yet known.

That fourth round will be played over two weekends, July 19th/20th, and July 26th/27th.

First to be added to the hat will the losers of next Sunday's Connacht final between Galway and Mayo.