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32 // Ladies Gaelic Football Association 50,000 FANS PEIL Autumn | Issue No 3 | Volume 14 Years ago the attendance at the TG4 All lreland Final between Dublin and Cork was 27, 374. A decent crowd no doubt but not a good reflection of playing membership of Ladies Gaelic Football. 30,000 was the magic number for a good while. It was fantastic if the Finals day hit that, but it could never be guaranteed. 2015 and 2016 saw 31,083 and 34,445 flash up on the big screen. Progress was be- ing made and people dreamed of 40! Something unexpected happened in 2017 however. Mayo put the Rebels out of the Championship – immediately there was a new level of interest in the final – it defi- nitely won't be Cork lifting the cup! On the other side of the draw we had the Dubs, who had their own history with the Mayo ladies. Both Counties have a very strong ladies football following so things were looking good for strong number through the turnstiles. THOUSAND FANS 50 5 The 2017 final brought 46, 141 people into Croke Park. This was a massive and unexpected jump. In advance of the 2018 Finals reserved expectations were shared, nobody was sure whether the same num- bers could be achieved again. It seems that 2017 was not just a flash in the pan. Over 50, 000 fans travelled to Croke Park on the 16 th of September to be entertained by the elite players of the game. One of the most important aspects of this 50,000 is the percentages that came from the teams in the Junior & Intermediate Finals and clubs from non- participating Counties. The game itself and the occasion of the TG4 All Ireland Finals are growing. That is down to club members from all over the Country sup- porting their own sport. LGFA thanks every single one of the 50, 141 people that made the journey to Croke Park. You proved what is possible.