Three-time All-Ireland winner Enda McGinley believes the inaugural season of the Tailteann Cup has been a success, as he looks ahead to the final.
Cavan and Westmeath will line out at Croke Park this weekend, both hoping to become the first team to etch their name on the Tailteann Cup.
The competition was established to provide counties with meaningful football against a similar standard of opponent and McGinley believes it has succeeded in doing just that, along with capturing the imagination of supporters.
"It's always difficult for a brand new competition to come in and have some gravitas about it," the former Tyrone player said on Morning Ireland.
"The basic things you were looking for were look for from the first year were teams to really buy-in, that you wouldn’t see a complete exodus of players, that you’d have good games, good crowds and good coverage and that has all been there.
"For the teams themselves the likes of Cavan and Westmeath, it has increased the length of their season, they’ve had five/six championship matches and now they’re getting to play in a Croke Park final for silverware.
"The players will get recognised with awards, the winners will get a team holiday so there’s loads there to play for.
"It’s the first year so it is about backing it up year-on-year, when it gets to be traditional, but for the first year I would imagine the GAA are more than happy with how it’s gone."
There’s been a refreshing openness and attacking flow to many of the games in the Tailteann Cup this season, most notably in the semi-finals.
However, the three-time All-Ireland winner expects that to tighten up with silverware on the line and looking ahead to the final, he believes that Cavan’s physicality and experience will give them the edge.
"I think the final’s going to more cagey," McGinley said. "Westmeath have a great forward line, the likes of Ronan O’Toole, Sam McCartan, Luke Loughlin, they’re really potent up front.
"Cavan though are the more experienced side. Physically they’re very strong, I think they’re ahead of most teams at this level.
"They have a really strong bench and have recent experience of winning big games - that Ulster title obviously.
"They’re a side that has grown up winning Ulster U20 titles, so for me it’s Cavan’s to lose."
Watch the Tailteann Cup final between Cavan and Westmeath on Saturday at 3pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with live blog on RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport and live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
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