In the event of a serious emergency, I would hand over control to a senior ranking garda, but thankfully that has never happened and, touch wood, it never will.

On All Ireland Day I'd expect to arrive at the stadium at around 7.30 in the morning. We have capacity crowds at lots of matches and concerts so the numbers on Final Day . . . 82,000 . . .aren't any bigger than we're used to. I check in with the ground staff first of all and inspect the pitch. To my mind that's the most important thing of all.

We've had a lot of remedial work done over the past couple of years and it's playing brilliantly. We've had more than 60 games since February and four weekends of double days with three matches on each day and still the pitch is in fantastic condition. I'd say there isn't another pitch in Europe that could match it.

I'd join in on a stadium inspection with the safety officer and meet up with the stadium director to run over any outstanding issues. On All-Ireland Day there's Mass at 9am for the staff and for gardai who are going off duty, there'd usually be about a hundred people there.

Fr Seamus Gardiner is the celebrant . . . his father was the president of the GAA some years ago and Seamus is now chairman of the referees' committee. Then there's breakfast with a choice of healthy options or the full Irish.

After breakfast there are various briefings with the gardai, the stewards and the private security companies. I'd meet with the head steward and the presentations steward, who's responsible for calling out all the teams and announcing the entertainment at half time.

He looks after the overall timing of the event, making sure that the teams get out onto the pitch on time and introducing the President. Mary McAleese attends all the Finals with her husband, Martin. She's a big fan so it's not just duty for her.

The turnstiles open at 12 noon and on All Ireland Day people tend to come early and make a day of it. The Minor match kicks off at 1.30. I'm in the Control Centre by then, under the big screen at the Hill 16 end. The liaison officer logs everything that happens onto computer so that we have a full picture of everything that's going on.

At any given time I know exactly how many people there are in the stadium. I have access to 220 television screens around the ground and also to the garda helicopter feed so I have a good sense as to the traffic situation outside. The Eastern Regional Ambulance Service has its own control centre within Croke Park and on All Ireland Day there'll be nine doctors, three cardiac ambulances and two treatment ambulances, all with defibrillators, along with another four permanent defibrillators. Twenty staff are trained to use them.

The Senior Final starts at 3.30. I'm a Kildare supporter myself but unfortunately they haven't made a final since 1998.

Half time should be at 4.07, public service announcements at 4.18 and the second half at 4.22. The match should end at 5pm and, if there isn't a pitch invasion, the presentation happens at 5.03. We don't love the invasions but sometimes there's nothing you can do . . . we clear it with a line of stewards and gardai moving down the pitch from the Davin end. It's all very good-natured.

Afterwards, there are functions and receptions for the players and their families and a post-match meeting for the various agencies. I usually get out of Croke Park by around 7.30. I go home for something to eat and then watch The Sunday Game with Pat Spillane at 9.30. I like to hear the analysis because I don't really get to concentrate on the game while it's happening.

In conversation with Katy McGuinness