Westmeath v Kildare preview: Provincial venues preferred to Croker

Croke Park was never going to be a heaving cauldron of noise and fervour on Sunday, certainly not when Kildare and Westmeath ran out from under the Cusack Stand for the first of the two Leinster semi-finals.

The dramatic events in Lille on Wednesday night and the Republic of Ireland’s encounter with France ensures a more tepid atmosphere, the commendable rescheduling of throw-in times by Leinster Council to avoid a direct clash notwithstanding.

There is a growing feeling throughout the GAA community that major games are losing a sense of occasion by being played at headquarters when the majority of seats are empty.