Whelan: Encroachment damaging smaller clubs in Dublin

The expansion of the so-called "super clubs" in Dublin will be damaging for Gaelic games in the capital in the long run, according to two-time All Star Ciarán Whelan.

Kilmacud Crokes and Na Fianna will lock horns in this Sunday's Go Ahead Dublin SHC final at Parnell Park, a week after the respective clubs' footballers also clashed in the county decider.

Mobhi Road side Na Fianna have just under 3,000 members, according to their own website, while Crokes are bigger again at about 5,000. Ballyboden St Enda's, another club on the southside of the city, have in the region of 3,400 members, while Cuala - who have won two All-Ireland SHC titles in the last six seasons - have around 3,200 members.

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Of course, not all of these are necessarily playing members, but they compare to around 2,800 at Naas GAA in Kildare, 860 at six-time All-Ireland winners Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, while Corofin, who won four titles in six years between 2015 and 2020, have 745 members.

"It is a big frustration for smaller clubs in Dublin," says the man who played with Raheny.

"The likes of Kilmacud have a massive catchment area on the southside, and it's purely a numbers game.

"If you compare that to the northside where you've got Scoil Uí Chonaill, O'Toole's, Clontarf, Raheny, Craobh Chiaráin, St Vincent's, Na Fianna, Whitehall, Erin's Isle, Ballymun - all within a five-mile radius.

"There's a significant amount of clubs on the northside and the criticism the smaller clubs would have is that some of the