Both Dublin and Kerry County Boards are set to receive additional Central Council monies towards their respective team holidays for today’s All-Ireland final replay.
Nothing has been confirmed as of yet but it is anticipated that each will receive along the lines of €50,000 - the same figure which final replay participants were given in the past decade.
For reaching an All-Ireland senior final, both counties would already be expected to receive a grant of approximately €80,000 towards their team trip.
Today marks the third sold-out consecutive Championship game at Croke Park involving Dublin, who have expressed their disappointment with their cut in recent times. In 2015, chief executive John Costello took issue with the €7,500 the county board received for a close to full house All-Ireland semi-final replay against Mayo.
The increased Championship attendance figures irrespective of today’s bonus of a replay will make interesting reading for the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) who have not ruled out seeking a slice of gate receipts.
As their three-year funding agreement with the GAA concludes next month, chief executive Paul Flynn is aiming for a more favourable deal on the back of last year’s ESRI report, which revealed the startling demands placed on inter-county players. Since 2016, the GPA have received a core contribution of €3.5m per annum from the GAA.
Meanwhile, today’s game could mark the inter-county retirements of at least five Dublin players.
Bernard Brogan (35), Darren Daly (32), Michael Darragh Macauley (33), Kevin McManamon (33 in December) and Eoghan O’Gara (34 later this month) are all but certain to step away once this season concludes
There are, of course, similar doubts about captain Stephen Cluxton (38 in December), Paddy Andrews (31), Philly McMahon (32) and Cian O’Sullivan (31). Speculation also surrounds the future of five-time All-Ireland winning manager Jim Gavin despite the 48-year-old having agreeing to remain in the position until the end of the 2021 season.