Some portents of impending difficulty in the All-Ireland qualifiers were to be found in the provincial press last week. In the case of Longford, pre-match favourites against Wicklow, the Aughrim venue preyed on the mind of Padraic O'Brien in The Longford Leader. References to that "dreaded venue of Aughrim" and "fortress Aughrim" proved prescient given Wicklow's win.

For Wexford's footballers, The Wexford People and county manager Ger Halligan used the re-opening of Wexford Park - after a four-year redevelopment programme - as a clarion call to supporters to come out for the Westmeath game. In an interview with Alan Ahearne, Halligan said: "Wouldn't it be a crying shame if we were outnumbered by Westmeath on the re-opening of our own pitch on a championship day? The Wexford players will need all the support they can get." In any case, 6,500 people turned up and got value for their money from a game that ended in stalemate near 9.15 p.m. In Phil Murphy's Sporting Forum in the same paper, the task for the county's hurlers was set out in stark terms. "Defeat (to Laois) would be a disaster," wrote Murphy.

Down all the days: Mickey Linden, 20 years and counting

Have we seen the last of the great Mickey Linden? After Saturday's All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Armagh, the 37-year-old Down corner forward (38 next month) certainly wasn't in any mood to hang up his boots and gave every indication to RTE radio's Micheal O Muircheartaigh that if he felt he had something to contribute, he'd be back for championship number 21. The statistics of the Mayobridge player's inter-county career to date take some beating. Having debuted in 1982, Linden has been involved in every Down championship match since - 44 in all - and has scored five goals and 52 points in the process.

After joining the panel later than usual this year, manager Pete McGrath used him as a substitute and Linden slotted home a goal and a point against Cavan and a goal against Armagh on Saturday.

His career has not been without its reward, with two All-Ireland titles in 1991 and '94. He picked up the Texaco Footballer of the Year award in '94, when he was also an All Star. Mayobridge's first Down title last year was also a high point.

Reflecting on his career in the O Muircheartaigh interview on Saturday night, Linden recalled the 1994 Ulster first-round win over Derry - then reigning All-Ireland champions - as the best, most enjoyable game of his years in a Down shirt. Linden kicked six points in Celtic Park that day, while the game easily stood out as the season's highlight.

His 1982 championship debut, against Tyrone, was also remarkable, albeit because it just lasted 10 minutes. With the late, great Ambrose Rodgers recovering from injury and just able to make the bench, an 18-year-old Linden started. An early Tyrone goal set the Down bench in motion, however, and Linden was sacrificed and Rodgers introduced.

His experience has been invaluable to the current panel, as attested to by goalkeeper Mickey McVeigh this weekend: "With so many young lads on the panel, Mickey can pass on so much to them."

Linden attributes the longevity of his career to simply "keeping myself fit and looking after myself", while the change in Ulster football from the "pulling and dragging" of the '80s to a more open - and successful - game this last decade has also been a factor in keeping his hunger.

Roll on championship number 21.

1. Speading some terror in the Meath defence during the All-Ireland final of 1991.

2. Enjoying the moment after the All- Ireland final win over Dublin in 1994.

3. That sinking feeling against Antrim in 2000.

Great hurling comebacks of the last 10 years

1991 Munster final - Cork went seven points up with 15 minutes remaining, but Tipperary scored 1-6 to Cork's two points to bring the game to a replay.

1991 Munster final replay - Nine points down 14 minutes into the second half, Tipperary ran out 4-19 to 4-15 winners over Cork.

1994 All-Ireland final - Five points down and seemingly dead on their feet going into the last five minutes, Offaly won pulling up, beating Limerick 3-16 to 2-13.

1996 Munster final - Nine points down at half-time, and 10 points down just after the break, Limerick came back to draw against Tipperary. Went on to win replay.

1999 All-Ireland quarter-final - Clare, nine points down in the 50th minute, return from the brink against Galway and force a replay which they won comfortably. 2001 Munster semi-final - Yesterday, Eamonn Cregan's Limerick give a new meaning to giving a team a head-start as Waterford racked up a 2-6 to 0-1 lead after 20 minutes. With time on their hands and goals on their minds, Limerick win by three points, 4-11 to 2-14.

Next On The List: Saturday - All-Ireland qualifier: First round - Fermanagh v Donegal; First round replay - Westmeath v Wexford.

Sunday - Leinster SFC semi-final - Dublin v Offaly; Munster SFC semi-final - Kerry v Limerick; Ulster SFC semi-final - Derry v Tyrone.