The GAA will welcome the one millionth spectator to a 2012 championship game this weekend, but the overall fall is numbers through turnstiles is evident by how long this milestone has taken this season.

The lucky one millionth fan will be present when Cork play Donegal in the GAA Football All-Ireland football semi-final at Croke Park.

The one million barrier will be passed on 26 August this year, while in 2011 it happened on 7 August, when Kilkenny played Waterford in the first All-Ireland SHC semi-final of the year.

In 2010 it occurred even earlier, on 31 July, during the first two All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals of the year.

However, given the current economic plight within the country, attendance figures are still impressive and spectator no. 1,000,000 this weekend will win two tickets to the football final and overnight accommodation in the Croke Park hotel on the eve of the match.

GAA President Liam O'Neill, while not mentioning the actual numbers attending the games this year, was still being positive: "Our attendances have been hugely encouraging and leaving the numbers themselves aside the atmosphere and sense of occasion our supporters help create lie at the heart of the games and what make them so enticing to so many." Tweet

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