The Allianz National Football League Division 1 Final has long been a key date in the GAA calendar, but recent attendance figures suggest that public interest is steadily declining — and the numbers for the 2025 final paint a worrying picture.

Just 21,596 spectators were present at Croke Park on Sunday to watch Kerry defeat Mayo, marking the lowest crowd for a Division 1 Final in over a decade and a dramatic drop from the peak attendances of the past.

Sharp Decline Since Post-Covid Return

In 2023, the league final drew 45,041 fans for a heavyweight clash between Mayo and Galway — more than double yesterday’s figure. Even last year’s meeting of Derry and Dublin attracted 33,121, almost 12,000 more than 2025.

The drop is even more pronounced when compared to pre-pandemic years. In 2019, 44,257 supporters turned up for Mayo vs Kerry. In 2018, Dublin vs Galway pulled 36,527, while the 2017 final between Kerry and Dublin attracted a bumper crowd of 53,840.

Centenary Outlier

The biggest attendance of the modern era came in 2016, when 82,300 fans packed Croke Park for Dublin vs Kerry. However, this figure was heavily influenced by the GAA’s commemoration of the Centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, and is widely regarded as an outlier.

Removing 2016 from the equation, the average attendance from 2011 to 2019 was approximately 39,822. In stark contrast, the average over the last three finals (2023-2025) has been just 33,253, and this year’s figure is a clear outlier in the opposite direction — a 52% drop compared to the 2023 final.

Long-Term Trends

A year-by-year look shows how the numbers have gradually declined:

Possible Causes

Several factors may explain this decline:

• Fixture congestion and competition fatigue: Many supporters may prioritise the championship over the league.
• Cost of attendance: The price of travel, tickets, and food continues to rise.
• Television coverage: All league games, including the final, are now easily accessible on TV and streaming platforms.
• Weather and timing: The move to earlier league finals may clash with other events and poor spring weather.

GAA’s Growing Challenge

While the Allianz League remains highly competitive and entertaining, the numbers don’t lie — supporter engagement at finals is falling. This year’s attendance of 21,596 is a clear red flag and will force Croke Park officials to consider whether the competition’s scheduling, marketing, or pricing model needs to change to prevent further decline, should the final be moved to a provincial ground.

The post Worrying Decline in Allianz League Final Attendances as 2025 Figures Hit New Low appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The former Roscommon goalkeeper, who took charge last August, departs after only seven months at the helm. His final game in charge came last Sunday as Carlow edged past London in a thrilling 1-18 to 1-17 victory.

“Shane Curran has informed Carlow GAA that he and his backroom team are stepping away from the management of the Carlow senior football team with immediate effect,” the Carlow County Board announced in a statement.

The statement added the decision was “based on player-related issues which he believed were beyond the scope of the management team.”

During the Allianz National Football League, Carlow finished fourth in Division 4 with a record of three wins, three losses, and one draw. However, the campaign was not without its issues. Several players reportedly left the panel mid-season, and coach James Clarke also exited the setup.

Carlow GAA is now searching for an interim manager to take charge ahead of their crucial Leinster SFC first-round clash with Meath, set for April 6th at Páirc Tailteann.

What’s Next for Carlow GAA?

With just days to prepare, the challenge for Carlow now shifts to regrouping and appointing a capable interim boss who can stabilise the squad ahead of their provincial opener.

Why Did Shane Curran Resign?

The former goalkeeper’s resignation highlights potential internal issues in the setup, with sources pointing to ongoing difficulties with player commitment and squad harmony.

The post Shock Exit: Shane Curran Resigns as Carlow Boss Just Days Before Meath Clash appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

At a press conference in Galway GAA’s training centre at Loughgeorge, Joyce commented on the inclusion of McGuinness at the session.

“We’ll have to wait for the feedback, the session only took place yesterday at 2 o’clock, it was over at 4. We need to do an analysis of the session and a feedback from the player and see what way it’s working.”

The video offers no major insight to what McGuinness was working on with the footballers. In fact, it merely shows the players executing a simple hand-passing drill. However, viewers were quick to criticise as there were several dropped balls in the 37-second clip. Contrastingly, it will be no surprise to see the use of this drill spike across the country in the next 12 months.

Mental Toughness

Joyce and McGuinness are old friends. In 1999, the pair were a part of IT Tralee’s Sigerson Cup winning team. Now, in a time when Galway are facing a relentless return to action following a seven-month break, Joyce seems keen to make use of McGuinness’ roots in Sports Psychology.

“The mental aspect in the game is huge nowadays. I just felt that looking round the county he’s in my eyes the best performance coach that’s in the country. He’s been there, he’s done it and he’s very relevant to GAA as you know. He’s won it as a manager himself. I just thought it was a perfect fit, it was a no-brainer for me.”

McGuinness boasts a seriously impressive CV that would be a great addition to any outfit. Specifically, he has added to his two All-Ireland medals (as player and as manager) with stints in the professional game. For example, a spell with Celtic was followed by jobs in China and the US where he put his UEFA A License to use. On the other hand, McGuinness has had no inter-county involvement since the 2014 All-Ireland final loss to Kerry.

Currently, Galway are top of Division 1. Therefore, two good results in their remaining games will see the westerners crowned champions. But, these remaining two games are two of the toughest they’ll have in the league. Firstly, rivals Mayo are the opposition. Secondly, five-in-a-row Championship winners Dublin will attempt to stop Joyce from guiding Galway to a first League title since 1981.

If McGuinness links up with Galway for the remainder of the year, he will provide the players with some valuable mental steel. In a year with a knock-out Championship and ongoing uncertainty over fixtures, this will be a valuable asset.

Jim McGuinness taking Galway training. What a brilliant addition if he’s involved- would be great to see him back pic.twitter.com/j5JLVTH3gS

— Thomas Niblock (@thomasniblock) October 11, 2020

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/football-league-division-1-final-rounds-preview/

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/football-league-division-1-final-rounds-preview/

https://twitter.com/thomasniblock/status/1315312533574692865

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