Dublin aim to go 40 not out in Leinster as era of dominance may force rethink

The Dubs have a record of 57 wins, one draw and one loss in the province since 2005.

Dublin manager Dessie Farrell: “I think it's probably time to have a proper review of the competition and see who does this benefit." Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Fourty-four years ago, the Munster Council gave Kerry a bye into the Munster final. It followed five consecutive seasons of winning the province, the last of them punctuated by the infamous “Miltown Malbay Massacre” when they scored nine goals and beat Clare in their semi-final by 36 points.

Excluding the 1976 Munster final draw against Cork, Kerry’s average winning score in that period was over 15 points. Something drastic had to be done to at least try and avoid further landslides and so, as much as it lasted only one year, they awaited Cork in the final where they won by 10 points.