Continuing a tradition which was kick-started back in the summer of 2016, Dublin fans are again being offered the chance to descend on a regional county ground for their opening match in the Leinster championship.
Dublin will face the winners of Carlow and Wexford in the Leinster quarter-final next June, a prospect which Jonny Cooper very generously described as "a tough challenge" when the draw was made back in October.
Ironically, should Carlow emerge to play the Dubs, the match has been fixed for O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, the same ground that was deemed so unsuitable by the Leinster authorities last year.
This summer, a match in O'Moore Park would have represented a genuine away match for the Dubs but the game against Laois was switched to Nowlan Park due to a greater seated capacity in Kilkenny.
Laois were seriously pissed off at this with county vice-chairman Peter O'Neill describing it "an absolute disgrace" in an angry missive on Facebook. Days later, chairman Gerry Kavanagh announced himself "disgusted" and called it "a slap in the face." Both suggested they were as well leave the match in Croke Park.
However, if Wexford get over Carlow in the first round (as is expected), then the Dubs will be facing into an actual away game. Wexford Park will get to see the Dublin footballers in the flesh.
Given that both their potential opponents currently play in Division 4, it's generally admitted that the exotic surrounds and the countryside air would have to have an extraordinarily disorientating effect on the Dublin players for them to emerge with anything other than an extremely easy win.
Here's the full draw for Leinster.
23rd April (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Round Robin - Round One
Meath v Kerry - Pairc Tailteann, Navan
Laois v Westmeath – O’Moore Park, Portlaoise
30th April (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Round Robin - Round Two
Westmeath v Kerry – TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar
Meath v Laois – Pairc Tailteann, Navan
14th May (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Round Robin - Round Three
Westmeath v Meath – TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar
Kerry v Laois – Austin Stack Park, Tralee
21st May (Sunday)
Leinster SFC - Round One
Louth v Wicklow - Parnell Park, Dublin
Laois v Longford – O’Moore Park, Portlaoise
Carlow v Wexford – Netwatch Cullen Park
27th May (Saturday) /28th May (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Quarter Finals
Round Robin Team v Offaly
Round Robin Team v Wexford
Both Q-Finals are home games for round-robin teams except for Kerry - played at a Leinster venue.
28th May (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Quarter Final
Galway v Dublin – O’Connor Park, Tullamore
3rd June (Saturday)
Leinster SFC Quarter Final
Kildare v Laois/Longford – O’Connor Pk, Tullamore
IF Meath v Louth – Parnell Park, Dublin
3rd June (Saturday) or 4th June (Sunday)
Leinster SFC Quarter Final
Carlow/Wexford v Dublin – O'Moore Pk, Portlaoise/Innovate Wexford Park
4th June (Sunday)
Leinster SFC Quarter Final
IF Meath v Wicklow – Aughrim
10th June (Saturday) /11th June (Sunday)
Leinster SHC Semi Final
Kilkenny v RR Team/Wexford - /Wexford
Leinster SFC Quarter Final
Offaly v Westmeath – O’Connor Park, Tullamore
17th June (Sat)/18th June (Sun)
Leinster SHC Semi Final
Galway/Dublin v RR Team/Offaly – TBC
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