While there may be two provincial finals taking place this weekend, only one of them is drawing interest among GAA fans.
Whereas the Ulster decider between Armagh and Donegal is expected to be a cracker, the Leinster equivalent between Dublin and Louth is being treated as somewhat of a non-event.
That seems harsh on Louth, who are more than deserving of their place in the final. However, the fact that Dublin have won 18 of the last 19 editions of the competition has taken some of the appeal away. What's more, the gap between them and the rest of the counties in the province only seems to be widening.
In short, it's easy to see why not many are excited about the prospect of watching that fixture in a half empty Croke Park.
READ HERE:
GAA: Keegan Suggests big change to Leinster Championship fixture list
Croke Park has long been the home of the Leinster Championship, especially when it comes to the latter stages of the competition. However, considering the current state of the event, fixtures at GAA HQ are becoming a less attractive prospect with each passing year.
The semi-final double header last month drew a crowd of less than 22,000, with many calling for those games to be moved elsewhere in the province. Indeed, some are now questioning as to whether Croke Park should be used at all in the Leinster Championship.
Writing in his column for RTÉ, suggested that playing those games in other grounds could be a move that benefits all involved. He gave the example of last weekend's Munster final of one way it could work.
Last Sunday in Ennis showed what can happen when the venue at least plays in favour of the underdog. Kerry never looked seriously in danger of losing the Munster final, but the game at least was competitive, played out in a cracking atmosphere. At the very least, it had some semblance of an occasion worthy of a provincial decider.
It’s not what we are likely to witness at GAA HQ on Sunday.
Teams might say they want to play in Croke Park, but it’s not benefitting them in any way, shape or form. You should earn your crust, earn your right to play in Croke Park.
I think Dublin themselves are sick of playing in Croke Park for Leinster games where there is no atmosphere or crowd.
They constantly say they would love nothing more than playing around the country, but the one-sided nature of Leinster in the last decade has effectively rendered these games meaningless.
The margin is all that is in doubt, not the result.
It will be interesting to see if the authorities might consider moving Leinster games away from Croke Park in the future. Those fixtures taking place elsewhere in the province might add a bit of extra atmosphere and interest for the general GAA fan.
It is something that is certainly worth discussing.
SEE ALSO: Lack Of Demand Sees Kildare Move Tailteann Cup Game To Tiny Venue
