A second-half goal from Podge Gregg decided the FAI Cup Final of 1945. Shamrock Rovers beat Bohemians at Dalymount Park, on a Sunday afternoon in April.
The cup win was particularly noteworthy, given the fact that Rovers had lost twice in the competition.
At the time only eight clubs were involved, the first and semi-final rounds were played over two legs.
Rovers lost to Limerick in the first round and again to Dundalk at the semi-final stage, before progressing on aggregate on both occasions.
A cup final record attendance of more than 41,000 packed into the Phibsborough venue 78 years ago.
That figure may finally be eclipsed on Sunday. A bumper crowd is guaranteed for this year's decider, another Dublin derby between St Patrick's Athletic and Bohemians, further evidence of a growing interest in the domestic game.
Last December, the FAI published details of a 29% increase in attendance in the 2022 SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division.
That represents an increase of 110,000 in comparison to the 2019 season, the last before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Crowds in the first division also increased significantly in 2022. The numbers attending the women's club continue to grow.
Peamount United were recently crowned League of Ireland Champions, while Shelbourne and Athlone Town will again contest the Women's FAI Cup at Tallaght Stadium on 19 November.
A full review of the attendance figures for 2023 will be revealed in due course. The indications are that the upward trajectory will continue.
It's difficult to define what exactly has led to the significant increases.
Notably League of Ireland clubs have proactively marketed their product to a younger demographic on social media.
There may also be a cyclical element at play in recent years, resulting in the domestic league finding itself in vogue.
The dominance of four-in-a-row League champions Shamrock Rovers has clearly not impacted negatively on the numbers.
One of the GAA's biggest appeal has always been the 'local hero' element. The excitement of running into the team captain in the local chipper, supermarket or service station cannot be overstated.
The ability of the supporter to identify with the player is an integral part of the appeal. Clearly, that dynamic is also in play at League of Ireland level.
For some, there remains an element of disdain for Irish supporters of any club other than their local League of Ireland representatives.
It's safe to say that the majority of matchgoers take a more liberal view when it comes to sporting allegiances, which may be spread not only across more than one team but several codes.
The social media phenomenon of 'my sport is better than yours' has become increasingly tiresome.
Sport has always been and should always be a broad church.
The League of Ireland has its own traditions, characters, quirks, faults and plus points.
Comparisons to the Premier League, which operates on a different stratosphere, are simply futile.
For obvious reasons, the game experienced somewhat of a boom on either side of Italia 90. In May of that year, the old Lansdowne Road hosted the FAI Cup Final for the first time.
Despite the unlikely pairing of first-division Bray Wanderers and St Francis, of the Leinster Senior League, the final drew a crowd close to 30,000.
John Ryan, a waiter at the nearby Berkeley Hotel, scored a hat trick as the Co Wicklow side won the cup for the first time, only five years after they upgraded to League of Ireland level.
In September 1990 more than 22,000 attended Shamrock Rovers' inaugural game in the RDS, against St Patrick's Athletic, three years on from the controversial sale of Glenmalure Park.
Such events should be viewed in isolation. In general terms, it appears that the domestic league is not overly influenced by the fortunes of the men's national team.
There remains a clear player pathway from the League of Ireland to international level.
Seven of Stephen Kenny's starting eleven in Faro for the 4-0 win over Gibraltar began their senior career i the League of Ireland, Gavin Bazunu ( Shamrock Rovers), Ryan Manning (Galway United), Liam Scales (UCD), Matt Doherty (Bohemians), Jamie McGrath (St Patrick's Athletic), Evan Ferguson (Bohemians) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Cork City).
Ex-Sligo Rovers man and current national team captain Séamus Coleman deserves an honourable mention, and so too does James McClean, formerly of Derry City.
McClean will retire from international football this month, having made more than 100 appearances.
For the Republic of Ireland, the back door option of a Euro 2024 play-off next March has all but closed.
Only a highly unlikely sequence of results would maintain the already faint hopes of European Championship qualification.
The recent home defeat to Greece ended any hope of a top-two finish in Euro 2024 qualifying Group B.
Before 2003 the league was run during the winter months. With little cover from the elements, inadequate toilet facilities and a general lack of ground upkeep and development the league was a hard sell to any floating voter.
At best the facilities laid before the match goer could be described as basic.
The FAI introduced a licensing system in 2004. Clubs are monitored in five key areas, infrastructure, which incorporates stadium facilities, sporting, legal, personnel and administrative and finance.
The Part 8 planning application programme for Dalymount Park, the traditional home of Irish football, was lodged last month.
Bohemians plan to develop a new four-sided municipal stadium, with approximately 6,200 seats and almost 1,800 standing positions.
What's described as "modern match day facilities for teams and officials" are included in the plan.
Depending on further construction, stage funding is aiming for the completion of the project for the 2027 season.
There is a notable imbalance in the geographical spread of League of Ireland Premier Division clubs.
In the recently concluded campaign half of the ten clubs were from Dublin.
Another two, Dundalk and Drogheda United, are also based on the east coast in neighbouring Co Louth.
Derry City, Sligo Rovers and Cork City completed the division. Cork were relegated from the top flight status for next year, by virtue of a play-off loss to Waterford.
The return of Galway United to the table next year is to be welcomed.
Limerick FC, Kildare County, Monaghan United, Newcastlewest and Kilkenny City are among regional clubs that have dropped out of the league, as have capital based sides Dublin City, Home Farm Everton, St James's Gate and 2009 FAI Cup winners Sporting Fingal.
Establishing a League of Ireland fan base where one hasn't previously existed is an obvious issue.
Kerry FC, the most recent newcomers to the League of Ireland, finished bottom of this year's First Division.
"We're a county steeped in gaelic games history, we never doubt that but it's great to have a senior soccer team in the county"
Their solitary league win came in May, a 3-2 away victory over Athlone Town.
They conceded 91 goals and scored 28, in a 36-game season, a goal difference of -62.
The campaign concluded with Kerry FC being 84 points behind champions Galway United and 37 adrift of the side that filled the final promotion play-off place Athlone Town.
Stark figures perhaps, but club media officer Ivan Hurley concedes that the season transpired along expected lines.
He said: "We're a county steeped in gaelic games history, we never doubt that but it's great to have a senior soccer team in the county.
"For a new team, coming into the league, it was a blind test. A lot of our players came from the academy and Under 19's."
Home gates averaged between 750-800 at Tralee's 1,200-capacity Mount Hawk Park.
"As the season went on, and into the summer months, we saw a lot more children coming to the games.
"David Clifford is their hero, 100%, but now they have other heroes in Kerry, to see them out getting autographs was fantastic."
There may well be League of Ireland representation from another gaelic football stronghold in the coming years.
Mayo FC is awaiting its academy licence from the FAI and next year. The hope is to run boys under 14's and 15's teams and a girls under 17 side at national level.
John Durkan, secretary of the Mayo Football League, believes the market is there to sustain a League of Ireland club in the county.
''We believe we have a brand we can market. There are quite a few underage Mayo players playing for LOI clubs, around the Connacht/midlands area''.
By starting at the academy level the hope is that Mayo FC will one day move to the League of Ireland level.
Mr Durkan said the time frame is difficult to pinpoint: "It may take 3 years, it could take longer, we don't know."
Mayo FC will be based at Milebush Park in Castlebar.
Context needs to be given as to where the domestic league sits in football's overall food chain.
Understandably, given the comparable budgets, notable European success for League of Ireland clubs tends to be the exception rather than the rule.
Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk have reached the lucrative group stage of the Europa League.
Those of an older vintage may recall the European Cup campaign of 1979-80.
Dundalk was an away goal away from knocking out Celtic in the second round, which would have resulted in a quarter-final place.
Actor Dermot Morgan allegedly quipped that a fear of crowds attracted him to support UCD.
A good line, clearly said in jest, but the times they are a changing.
