GAELIC GAMES:CONCERNS ABOUT the size of the crowds at the weekend's All-Ireland qualifier third-round matches look exaggerated in the light of previous experience. Although Saturday's double bill drew what was marginally the smallest qualifier attendance at Croke Park, Sunday's Kildare-Fermanagh and Kerry-Monaghan was the second-highest of any double bill that didn't include Dublin.

When the All-Ireland qualifiers were introduced for the 2001 championship it was on the basis that the new system would give teams a second chance. According to Croke Park officials at the time the financial returns on what was a very successful first season were an unexpected bonus.

Although these receipts make up the funds for what is a valuable redistribution to the counties, the GAA doesn't see this as the series' primary function and there has been a willingness to change it around even at the cost of income.

Nonetheless, attendances at qualifier matches have been used as a gauge of how successfully a season is progressing.

Already this year Croke Park has twice issued statements insisting there is no great shortfall in the crowds turning out and figures are in line with the overall trend this decade.

Last weekend saw the first qualifier matches in Croke Park for three years and the lack of atmosphere caused by some poor football and small crowds was commented on.

But the statistics for eight years of qualifier attendances suggest there is nothing unusual about the last weekend.

The previous years, in which qualifiers were staged at Croke Park, 2005 and 2004, similar double bills (Laois-Derry/Tyrone-Monaghan and Fermanagh-Cork/Tyrone-Galway) drew 30,066 and 28,712 respectively - compared to the 27,834 present for last Saturday's Wexford-Down and Tyrone-Mayo fixtures.

Kerry-Monaghan and Kildare-Fermanagh drew 38,320 the following day, a figure that has only been bettered when Dublin played on qualifier double bills in 2004, 2003 and 2001 and by the 43,682 that in 2002 watched Sligo shock Tyrone and Donegal eliminate the All-Ireland champions Meath.

Over the years the average attendance for double bills not involving Dublin was 34,167.

When the qualifiers weren't played in Croke Park the maximum attendance at a match was the 23,751 that watched Roscommon beat Kildare at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, in one of the best matches of 2003.

Otherwise the highest attendance at regionally fixed qualifiers has tended to be around 18,000 (that was the figure in four of the eight years).

Dublin's three outings at Croke Park in the qualifiers attracted similar attendances - 60,720, 63,143 and 63,369 - in 2001 (against Sligo), 2003 (against Armagh) and 2004 (against Roscommon), all as part of double bills.

Last weekend's turnout might also have been affected by the bank holiday.

One comparison from 2002 shows Dublin's All-Ireland quarter-final against Donegal drawing 77,298 as part of a double bill with Cork-Mayo on the August weekend of that year.

A couple of weeks later as a stand-alone fixture the counties were watched by 79,057.

Reacting to the suggestion these matches might be better played away from Croke Park, the twice All-Ireland-winning manager Mickey Harte strongly disagrees from the players' perspective.

"Without a doubt," he says. "It's not about crowds and atmosphere. It's about players getting the chance to play on the biggest stage. When you afford that opportunity you're opening up the stadium to players who mightn't otherwise get the chance.

"I wouldn't mind if there were only 1,000 in Croke Park. Give as many high-profile opportunities to players as possible.

"There's not many who'll experience an All-Ireland final but to get to play championship in our national stadium at any time is always worthwhile."

Asked about the same topic in the aftermath of the All-Ireland champions' defeat of Monaghan, the Kerry manager, Pat O'Shea, agreed with Harte.

"Playing the four games here this weekend was a great bonus," he said. "There's no excuses here. If you lose a game here you lose a game and more often than not to a better team. That's the way it should be.

"If you go to a provincial ground that won't always be the case. If we have the best stadium in Europe why not play our best games there?"