Leinster chiefs bid to boost atmosphere by playing football semis away from Croke Park 

It will be the first time in 30 years that both last-four games are staged outside HQ. 

TEAM OF RIVALS: Players at the Leinster Championship launch on Monday: Paddy Fox of Longford, Ronan Wallace of Westmeath, Tommy Durnin of Louth, Kevin Feely of Kildare, Dean Healy of Wicklow and Liam Coleman of Wexford, and front row, from left; Seán Raferty of Meath, Brian Byrne of Laois, Mikey Bambrick of Carlow and Lee Pearson of Offaly with the Delaney Cup at Cedral St Conleth's GAA Park in Newbridge. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Both Leinster senior football semi-finals will be played outside Croke Park for the first time in 30 years, it has been confirmed.

At Monday’s championship launch in Cedral St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, provincial chairman Derek Kent announced the decision has been made to take the games out of GAA HQ for the first time since Meath beat Wicklow in Portlaoise and Dublin defeated Laois in Navan in 1995.