McGrath: AIL still means an awful lot

There was a time not so very long ago when an AIL clash between Shannon and Young Munster under the Thomond Park lights on a Friday night would have attracted a crowd of 10,000.

Now host club Shannon would be happy if they got a quarter of that figure.

Garryowen would be content if a thousand turned up for their clash with Dolphin at Dooradoyle as would Old Belvedere when they host Lansdowne at Anglesea Road.