POLITICS isn't the only Irish blood sport in a state of February flux. A week ago, Anthony Daly described events in Walsh Park as "just a shocking day" for Dublin hurling. Yesterday we had the aftershock -- and Tipperary are still shaking from it.

How can these mercurial Sky Blue stickmen go from producing their worst display of the 'Dalo' era to delivering arguably their finest, all in seven short days?

How can they play like chumps against a decimated Waterford team, losing by 13 points ... and then turn it on against the second-best team in the country, winning by nine?

Let's muddy the waters still further. Unlike the depleted Déise, Tipp brought a seriously strong line-up to Parnell Park with a forward line boasting Eoin Kelly, Lar Corbett, Noel McGrath and Seamus Callanan. Then Dublin gifted them a goal start inside a minute. Instead of "here we go again", though, we had heroism everywhere from the gung-ho Dubs.

This could be measured in so many ways. In the number of block downs by Dublin players who refused to give Tipp space to breathe. In their supremacy of the skies, epitomised by the soaring Liam Rushe at centre-forward.

In the fact that every Dublin player from No 7 (Maurice O'Brien) to No 15 (Alan McCrabbe) scored from play. In the latest 10-point haul of McCrabbe, seven days after Lazarus of Craobh Chiaráin was given his last rites for the 2010 season. And finally, in the near-impossible task of picking a Man of the Match, given the spread of capital candidates playing close to eight-out-of-10 standard.

What does all of this prove? Well, firstly, that Dublin can rise above the worrying auguries of Second Season Syndrome that were spied against Galway (in the Walsh Cup) and then in Waterford. Secondly, that the league is a contrary beast. Thirdly, that no game was ever won on paper.

Gary Maguire's goal may have led a charmed life in the closing minutes of this Division One clash, as Eoin Kelly peppered the line and the woodwork from various close-in frees and penalties. But, by then, all that was at issue was the margin of defeat. "They out-worked us, out-muscled us, won every battle and won every line," was the pithy post-match assessment of losing boss Liam Sheedy.

No complaints from Tipp, then. And no complaints either from Daly. "The thing we said on Tuesday night was, look, we know we're not that bad but we just had to face up to reality -- that at this level if you stand off against any of these teams, you'll be destroyed," the Clareman explained.

"Today we decided we'd face out to the auld ball. And if you miss it, you miss it ... but have the moral courage to go to it. That was basically what Tuesday was about. There was no rocket science in it."

Other factors, he mused, might have played a part in this 22-point turnaround. A lighter training toll may have left them fresher. Tipperary had been geared up twice in a week to play Kilkenny; suddenly they had to refocus on coming to Parnell Park.

Sheedy didn't view those snow-induced postponements as a valid excuse, other than their lack of match-practice may have contributed to a "very flat" display. "But Dublin are a really good, well-drilled side. They're up in the top three or four teams in the country. They proved it again today; they've loads of hurlers," he said.

Beeline

And plenty of resilience, too, based on their thrilling response to that early penalty. Barely 10 seconds had elapsed when Lar Corbett made a beeline for goal. Another referee may have punished Lar for his liberal steps, but James Owens instead spied an illegal tug by Tomas Brady.

If Waterford had been a "wake-up call" (to quote skipper Stephen Hiney), then the alarm bells were sounding again when Kelly's howitzer threatened to burst the net.

Instead of panic, though, we had poise. Over the next 10 minutes, Dublin reeled off six unanswered points. "We just stuck to our game plan and everyone rose it again," Hiney suggested.

Dublin's dominance was reflected in other ways. Hiney highlighted their resolve to pounce on "every ball that broke down in the rucks." Daly mentioned how they were "destroyed in the air" last week -- but not this time.

Tipp enjoyed their only spell of relative dominance during the middle phase of that first half. They were back in front after 27 minutes via an all-too-rare scoring contribution from their subdued prodigy, Noel McGrath.

Premier pre-eminence was shortlived. The ensuing puckout was superbly fielded by Rushe, who offloaded to Johnny McCaffrey. His attempted point dropped short, but in the ensuing goalmouth panic, Tipp 'keeper Darren Gleeson made a hash of matters under pressure from the inrushing David O'Callaghan and the ball ended up in the net.

The press-box jury was split afterwards on who should claim the scoring kudos. But since the TV replay failed to reveal any conclusive touch from 'Dotsy', the goal must surely stand to McCaffrey.

Either way, the Lucan man revealed an overdue return to the form that made him one of the great white hopes for Dublin hurling, pre-Daly's arrival.

McCaffrey was joined by a stellar cast. Oisin Gough made several classy interventions at corner-back. Niall Corcoran was very effective in a free-man defensive role in the first half.

The half-backs held their Tipp markers in a stranglehold for long spells, no one more so than Hiney who switched to the centre after Ronan Fallon was ruled out with a stomach bug.

Dublin were even more impressive in the other 'half' division: Rushe revelled on the '40' while Peter Kelly and Shane Durkin capped trojan shifts on either flank by each scoring a brace.

Closer to goal, even though O'Callaghan and David Treacy managed just one point apiece, that disguises the amount of discomfort caused to Paul Curran and Conor O'Brien.

All the while, the roaming McCrabbe exerted his trademark influence from play and placed balls: his repertoire including one sublime crossfield assist for Durkin, and an even sweeter sideline cut in the final quarter. Not bad for a player originally feared to have broken his leg in Waterford!

By half-time, Dublin were 1-12 to 1-7 to the good. By the 63rd minute, when Kelly's solo effort completed their tally, they were 10 up and out of sight. Cue a late rush of Tipp goal chances -- Maguire denied Paul Kelly, whose brother Eoin saw a resultant 20m free blocked on the line and then hit the crossbar from another injury-time penalty.

Offaly away loom next for Dublin. "We won't be getting carried away with it either," Daly cautioned. "We're going down there to try and claw out some kind of a win, and get ourselves safe first, and then see can we drive on after that. But that's going to be a massive dogfight in two weeks' time."

- Frank Roche