Leinster double-header a record breaker
GAA chiefs are celebrating today after yesterday's Leinster SFC semi-final double-header broke attendance records at the re-developed Croke Park.
A crowd of 82,072 turned up at the Dublin 3 venue to see power-packed Laois dust off Kildare 0-21 to 0-9 in the curtain raiser and Dublin, thanks to a late burst, ended Wexford provincial involvement with a 1-17 to 2-10 win in the second clash.
While the highest ever recorded attendance at headquarters was 90,556 (1961 All-Ireland SFC final - Down v Offaly), the opening this summer of the re-developed Hill 16 terrace has boosted Croke Park's current capacity by a full 13,000 to 82,500.
In Munster, Connacht and Ulster there were also bumper attendances on a weekend when the GAA coffers were swelled by an estimated €3m.
16,000 spectators turned up to see All-Ireland champions Kerry remain on course for their third straight Munster SFC title as they saw off Limerick 2-10 to 0-10 - setting up a mouth-watering final clash with Cork.
Last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo swept through to a Connacht decider with neighbours Galway after they accounted for Roscommon 1-16 to 0-11 in front of a Hyde Park attendance of 14,735.
And 25,084 turned up at Saint Tiernach's Park in Clones to see Cavan rescue a replay against Tyrone, drawing 1-7 to 0-10 in an Ulster SFC semi-final thriller.
