Blue backlash
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The GAA could feel a 2010 backlash at the turnstiles as the fall-out from Dublin's humiliating defeat to Kerry intensified yesterday.
A second successive 'crash' to one of Gaelic football's 'big two' led to half-time jeers from the Dublin support and a quick evacuation of many of the blue hordes in the 81,892 crowd, disillusioned with the latest performance.
The trust between the supporters and team will inevitably erode and loyalty will be strenuously tested when the big days arrive next summer.
Monday's quarter-final drew the first 80,000-plus crowd of the season, following on from 74,573 at the Leinster final against Kildare and the 75,250 that saw them beat Meath in the Leinster quarter-final on June 7.
In between there was a significant dip as just 51,458 paid in to see them run riot against Westmeath.
The belief extracted from the performance against Kildare that earned Dublin a fifth successive Leinster title eroded so quickly it could have a knock-on effect on the GAA's biggest paymasters.
Pat Gilroy will remain in charge to see out the second of his two years charge, but he faces an extensive rebuild.
Dublin full-back Denis Bastick and midfielder Ciaran Whelan could now face retrospective sanctions from the CCCC if they follow up on video evidence of incidents they were involved in during the crushing defeat.
Bastick is caught on camera lunging at Kieran Donaghy's foot, a Kerry water carrier on the day, in the second half after one of Donaghy's pitch visits, while Whelan appeared to strike Aidan O'Mahony on the side of the head with his elbow as the Kerry defender clung on to him in a passage of play.
Any prospective suspension for Whelan may be immaterial, however, as he may choose to retire from inter-county football after 13 seasons.
Meanwhile, Meath have received notification of a proposed four-week ban for Stephen Bray which rules him out of Sunday's All-Ireland quarter final.
Bray, who was red-carded on the evidence of one of Padraig Hughes' umpires, has been charged with 'striking with a closed fist.'
Meath have no video evidence of the incident involving their captain and Limerick defender Mark O'Riordan, but Bray is expected to seek a personal hearing later in the week.
WHY THE DUBS GOT IT SO WRONG PAGES 70-71
- Colm Keys
