Looking at the recent attendances for Dublin's games in Croke Park, it's fair to say that it might be worth reconsidering having such fixtures at GAA HQ in future.
Dublin have treated the Jones' Road venue as their home venue in league and championship for a number of years now, something that has often rubbed other counties up the wrong way. In fact, just last week Mayo insisted that they would not play in Croke Park for their 'neutral venue' game against the Dubs in the All-Ireland round robin series.
While the GAA insisted this option was never on the table, it did not stop Philly McMahon from taking a pop at the Connacht county.
Writing in the Irish Independent, he accused Mayo of running scared on the back of this request.
I don’t know why this story tickles me, but it does...
Maybe Mayo will beat Dublin in Dr Hyde Park or Tullamore or wherever and it gives them a lift and a weekend off and puts a few cracks in Dublin’s confidence. Then, yes, you can say you were vindicated. Everyone – management, players, county board – take a bow.
But maybe they don’t and the thing you were trying to avoid in Croke Park just happens somewhere else. Then what?
Those comments were questioned at the time, with one former Mayo star now responding.
READ HERE: Bryan Sheehan Explains The Three Big Concerns He Has For Kerry
GAA: Keegan throws gig at Philly McMahon over Mayo comments
Lee Keegan and Philly McMahon would have faced off on countless occasions down through the years, acting as lynchpins in the Mayo and Dublin GAA sides that had such a fierce rivalry in the 2010s.
It seems some of the animosity between the pair might still be present.
Writing in his column for RTÉ, Keegan questions the comments made by McMahon last week. As well as that, he took a cheeky dig about the obsession the former Dubs star seems to have with Mayo.
Philly McMahon accused Mayo of running scared after the county board requested that the neutral venue game against Dublin not be played in Dublin's home stadium.
I can no longer confirm whether Mayo are running scared or not. But certainly, there's not much in the Croke Park atmosphere that would terrify you these days...
The GAA probably made a mistake in the first place in allowing Dublin to nominate Croke Park - the national stadium, which hosts our biggest games - as their home ground...
Philly probably wouldn't agree. I know he always fancied his own ability to rile Mayo players. He's written in the past about the brief ruckus he caused on the way down the tunnel at half-time in the 2020 All-Ireland final.
He was particularly chuffed with that one and, in fairness, it was probably his most telling intervention that day. (Although, I should note, his teammates came good to seal another All-Ireland final victory against us.)
Of course, many Dublin GAA fans would probably point out McMahon's championship record against Mayo in response to those comments.
While the rivalry between Dublin and Mayo may not quite be as fierce as it once was, it's great to see that there is still a bit of needle there.
SEE ALSO: GAA Power Rankings - Ranking The 16 Counties Chasing Sam Maguire
