Record FAI Cup final attendance a 'barometer' for the LOI - Graham Gartland

The record attendance and raucous atmosphere at Sunday's Sports Direct FAI Cup final shows the potential for growth within Irish domestic football, according to three-time former cup winner Graham Gartland.

St Patrick's Athletic got their hands on the trophy for the second time in three years with both the Inchicore club's fans and the Bohemians support flocking to the Aviva Stadium to make up 43,881 attendance.

It marks the latest apogee of an upward trend from recent finals with the previous two attracting 32,412 and 37,126 respectively.

Ex-Drogheda United, Longford Town and Shamrock Rovers defender Gartland, who was on co-commentary duty for the live RTÉ coverage of the final, was impressed by the vibrancy and colour within the Lansdowne Road venue on Sunday and pointed to how both clubs and organisers got their finger on the collective pulses in the weeks running up to it.

"It was amazing I have to say. It was thoroughly enjoyable to be part of it in terms of doing the commentary," he told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast.

We need your consent to load this YouTube content We use YouTube to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences

"The day belonged to St Pat's. I think it's a great advertisement for the league. It's a real barometer of where this could go if the right people get behind it and the infrastructure comes.

"Both clubs have really engaged in their communities which is massive and we saw that with the sell-out.

"I think it's attracting a lot of neutral fans as well, like kids that play at National League level. I saw a lot of them that were at the game.

"I'd say everyone in Inchicore was