Senan Connell
GAA Expert & Columnist
Senan Connell says Dublin dominance has 'killed' Leinster Championship
Last Updated: 20/06/19 4:26pm
Dublin are bidding for a ninth consecutive Leinster football crown on Sunday, their 14th in 15 seasons.
Such dominance means that this weekend's meeting with old rivals Meath isn't whetting the appetite in the manner that such a match-up used to, and this has resulted in falling attendances.
"It's a sad reflection of where it's gone," lamented Sky Sports pundit and ex-Dublin footballer Senan Connell.
"I've got three Leinster medals, and there was value in winning those. [At the time] Meath, Kildare and Dublin, if you beat one of them, the other was waiting for you. Games between those teams, there was a full house, there was value in it. I think that's gone now.
"For Dublin it's a stepping stone to get to the Super 8s. It's the competition within the panel that's keeping them on their toes."
This is in stark contrast to Connell's playing days.
"I remember in 2002 we were getting a walk around Croke Park because we were the first game in it (the redeveloped stadium)," he recalled.
"It was going to be the first full house. This was a concert - it was the place to be for five or six years when Dublin were playing. First round, second round, everyone was going - you had to be there! It opened up to everybody. It was the place to be and go to. That's lost now.
"The attendances are hurtling downwards."
The Na Fianna club man is worried about the provincial championship, given the relative apathy with which it's being met in the capital.
"I just can't get over it. There's a malaise in Dublin," he added.
"I'm scared for that. I don't know how we're going to get back up, bar Kildare and Meath getting competitive again. It's going to be a struggle maybe for the other counties, but we'd expect Meath and Kildare to be competitive.
"But they're just so far behind. I don't mean physically or tactically, I mean mentally. I don't think they can catch Dublin in the next two or three years mentally, because Dublin are on a whole different level in terms of their resolve and resilience, what's between the ears.
"That's the big fear I have - they're just so far ahead that's it's killed the Leinster Championship.
"In the space of a decade since 2010, when Meath scored the five goals [against Dublin]. It's dead.
"I just can't believe how it's become so one-sided."
"We'd expect Meath and Kildare to be competitive, but they're just so far behind."
Connell feels the Royals and Lilywhites must close the gap
However, not all of the provinces are a monopoly at present.
"There's a lot of value in a Connacht medal, and in an Ulster medal," he said. "But the other two - is it at a stage where we combine the two of those together into on provincial championship?
"We're now at the stage where we're hurtling towards getting an answer. The provincial championship isn't working in Leinster anyway, and probably not in Munster."
Although he is confident that there will not be a seismic upset in Croke Park this weekend, Connell feels the resurgent Royals can take something from the game.
"If you're transporting me into the Meath set-up this Sunday, you'd say, 'What are we going to do?' They have to be explosive from the start. They've a strong midfield, they do have scoring forwards.
"Don't let Dublin settle. Be brave, push up on their kick-outs. Meath are going to concede scores, but look, Dublin are the most comfortable team at dismantling a blanket defence and immobilising a sweeper. We know that. So why not flood the Dublin defensive unit?
"That might give Meath the progress then to go on into the fourth round of the qualifiers and get into the Super 8s, which would be a real success story for Meath.
"Dublin are going to win. Jim Gavin won't say that, but they're going to win. It's a matter of what they're going to win by, so what will Meath take out of that?"
Sky Sports's live GAA coverage continues on June 29, with a crucial double header in the football qualifiers.
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