Ciarán Whelan does not see gap to Dublin in Leinster closing

Former Dublin footballer Ciarán Whelan does not think the gap will close between the Dubs and the rest of Leinster.

Dublin secured another Delaney Cup this year, as the Boys in Blue won their eighth consecutive Leinster title, and their 13th in 14 years. The facile victory over Laois in this year's decider signalled another landmark which attracted calls for provincial championships to be scrapped.

However, former Dublin star Ciarán Whelan does not see them going away anytime soon, despite the decreasing competitiveness.

"As long as we have a Leinster Council, a Munster Council, an Ulster Council, a Connacht Council then there will be a Leinster final, a Munster final, an Ulster final and a Connacht final," said the former Dublin midfielder. "I think we are a long way off breaking down our provincial system."

Whelan is pessimistic about the competition going forward, with no side getting close to the Sky Blues.

"It's just the nature of where Dublin are at. They're just so dominant. Unfortunately nobody has really caught them. You'd like to hope that Kildare got a bit of a kick out of the U20s and that they have something coming. They got a run though the back-door last year and you'd like to think they could put something up to Dublin, but it's unlikely in the short term.

"Things can change fairly quickly but we all know this team is special at the moment and in terms of the Leinster Championship, teams have struggled to get within ten points of them in the last five or six years. 2010 was the last time they lost. And I don't see that gap closing imminently. You'd like it to be, I think that's what we need."

Dublin will begin their defence of their provincial crown against the winner of Louth vs Wexford after the championship draw last Thursday.