GAA:FOUR OF the last six Leinster football finals may have drawn over 80,000 to Croke Park – but expectations for Sunday's showdown between Dublin and Wexford are considerably more modest.
The Leinster Council have only pre-sold 20,000 tickets, and although the premium packages will add another 10,000, Dublin’s actual uptake will only be known in the coming days as the county board switches their attention from last Sunday’s Leinster hurling final against Kilkenny.
It could be the final attendance won’t even surpass the 58,723 that showed up in Croke Park for Dublin’s semi-final against Kildare. It could also be that the success of the Dublin hurlers is impacting on Dublin football attendances, particularly at a time when supporters are unwilling or unable to dig as deep into their pockets.
“It’s still too early to tell,” said a spokesperson for the Leinster Council. “Dublin are only distributing tickets to the clubs this week, having been involved in the Leinster hurling final last Sunday. We’d have already sold around 20,000. There is good interest from Wexford, about the same as 2008, when they were last in the Leinster final.”
Dublin have been the key component in attracting over 80,000 to four of the last six Leinster football finals; the 2006 Leinster final, when Dublin beat Offaly, remains the highest of the decade with 81,754 in attendance, and there were similar crowds in 2005 (81,025, when Dublin beat Laois), in 2007 (81,394, when Dublin beat Laois) and in 2008 (80,112, when Dublin beat Wexford).
The 2009 final, when Dublin beat Kildare to claim their fifth provincial crown on the trot, drew 74,572. Last year saw Louth provide a novel presence in the Leinster final – their first final appearance in 50 years, to be exact – but it resulted in the lowest attendance in at least a decade, as just 48,875 showed up for the controversial defeat to Meath.
The lowest attendance before that was the 2004 final between Westmeath and Laois, which drew 56,440 (and actually went to a replay) while before that the 2003, 2002 and 2001 finals drew 61,786, 78,033 and 66,275 respectively.
The outlook for Sunday’s Munster hurling final is a lot more positive. It may not be the home of hurling but Páirc Uí Chaoimh is already a virtual 43,000 sell-out for Sunday’s showdown between defending champions Waterford and All-Ireland champions Tipperary.
“All 20,000 stand tickets are sold out,” said Enda McGuane, deputy CEO of the Munster Council.
“There may still be some limited numbers available through the counties, but the demand is very high. Some terrace tickets could be available on the day, but will depend on uptake later in the week.
“Last Sunday was also a virtual capacity for Fitzgerald Stadium. We’re still totalling up the final football attendances, and waiting on some online sales, but certainly it seems the overall attendances have held up this summer, and there hasn’t been any major decline. Revenue will be down given the increased number of ticket packages available, but we expected that, and the most important thing for us is to get people through the gates.
“The fact is two adults and two children can be sitting in the middle of the stands on Sunday for €80, all in. There’s big interest in the minor match as well, Waterford against Clare, so that’s for four hours entertainment, and we consider that very good value. The terrace is also available for just €15 if purchased in groups through the club. More people are realising there is good value there with the packages. Last year we would have sold around 18,000 children packages, this year we’ll be closer to 30,000.”
Dublin manager Pat Gilroy will be the first to announce his team for Sunday’s finals when he unveils his selection to face Wexford this morning.
Defender Philly McMahon is once again ruled out with a knee injury, with Paul Conlon set to retain his position instead, but with midfielder Michael Dara Macauley ruled out with a broken finger, a new midfield pairing will be made up from Denis Bastick, Eamon Fennell, Ross McConnell and Barry Cahill.
