Extra seats targeted for Leinster final

It is anticipated that the lower tier of the new stand at the Canal End of Croke Park, currently undergoing reconstruction, will be at least partially ready for the Leinster final on August 1st.

Dublin's victory against Laois on Sunday sets up another provincial final meeting between themselves and Meath, a clash that has always placed a high demand on tickets.

The first seats have already been laid along the lower tier and measures will be taken to install as many as possible between now and that Leinster final date.

"We hope that there will be 5,000 Canal End seats available by then," said Dermot Power of Croke Park Development.

That would increase the current capacity at the ground to 58,000 and it is hoped that the premium level will be completed before the All-Ireland football final, thereby raising the capacity to 65,000.

"Things are progressing on schedule in terms of availability of places for this season's games," offered project manager Chris Gogarty of Seamus Monahan and Partners.

"Obviously the scaffolding strike set us back a little but, apart from dealing with the close proximity of the railway and the canal, this development is very similar to the phase one Cusack stand and we are still aiming to complete the work by April or May of next year," he said.

Once completed, the new stand at the Canal End will accommodate 21,000 people. It marks phase two of an ambitious development plan which will leave the overall stadium capacity at 79,000. The Canal End structure will essentially mirror the new Cusack stand, with a sheltered lower tier, an upper section and a mezzanine premium level.

The lower tier will be almost certainly fully functional when the All-Ireland semi-finals are played.