Leitrim chairperson Enda Stenson says the GAA should never consider abolishing league finals. Ahead of tomorrow's Allianz League Division 4 decider against Laois, Stenson is hopeful that the county can claim a final victory at Croke Park for the first time.
And the prospect of eliminating league finals to allow breathing space in a compacted calendar is a bizarre one, as far as Stenson is concerned.
"No way whatsoever should it be considered. Not for lower tier counties anyway," he states.
"For us, this is our chance of silverware tomorrow. We are not going to win Sam Maguire, and, to be honest, we might struggle against some top teams if they were in the Tailteann Cup so if anything, I would nearly look at a third-tier championship in football.
"So, to do away with the league finals? Well, if they do that they would more or less take away all hope from us. The league is our main bread and butter, our main competition every year. It's our chance of progress. Our chance of winning something.
"And to get to Croke Park, well counties like Dublin, Kilkenny, Mayo get there all the time. Maybe the effect of playing games there so often reduces the appeal for teams and supporters.
"But for Leitrim, that would never happen. We will bring as many as we can. There will be people waiting in their homes for hours before they leave for Dublin. Everyone in our county knows a player. They are all sons, nephews and neighbours of someone close by or up the road. It’s the biggest thing in our county in years and the excitement is unreal. For an occasion like that to be taken away? God, no."
Leitrim have played in Croke Park five times in their history. Tomorrow they play a Laois side that they beat in the league this year and last year, but the O’Moore County finished two points ahead of them - and with a much healthier score difference.
So while Leitrim's chances of winning a final in Croke Park are strong, equally Laois will feel they have a great opportunity to win silverware under Justin McNulty.
It's been five years since their last appearance at Croke Park, when they lost to Derry in the fourth tier decider. They lost in their previous four visits to HQ too - a league semi-final against Derry in 1959, the 1994 All-Ireland semi-final with Dublin, a league game against Dublin in 1995 and the 2006 Tommy Murphy Cup final to Louth.
Tomás Ó Sé: It would be a 'huge mistake' to ditch Allianz Football League finals
But all of that is in the past.
"Look, to be back again is just huge," Stenson says. "To get to grips with the game from an early stage is all we would look for.
"Our lads are resilient. They have come through tough times. We all know what happened in New York last year – when they made the lonely trip back across the Atlantic after losing to the Exiles in the Connacht championship – but Andy and the lads kept at it.
"They have fought hard to get back here."
They have too. Following that penalty shoot-out loss to New York this time last year, they endured three losses on the spin in the Tailteann Cup. This year they had to line out without their top scorer, Keith Beirne, who finished last year’s league with 5-52 – the most prolific forward across all four league divisions in 2023.
Andy Moran could have moved on but it’s not his style. Instead, he brought in former Cavan manager Mickey Graham as coach and what a presence to have on the sideline.
Ryan O'Rourke and Darragh Rooney are just two players who have stepped up. Mark Diffley and Donal Wrynn have also impressed.
Goalkeeper Nevin O'Donnell has been steady all year, with Donal Casey starring in front of him and Barry McNulty thriving in the middle.
Moran initially set goals for the team– not so much of winning, but targets for the players off the pitch in terms of gym benchmarks, running, fitness.
The county chairperson is in the middle of calving season on the farm, and he will miss his weekly Mass choir appearance in Mohill tomorrow evening – where he has been singing since 1987 – but Croke Park trumps everything
Yet, the aim of making Croke Park within three years was always in the pipeline and here they are now – even without Keith Beirne, who stepped away this season and Jack Heslin, who is travelling, as is former captain David Bruen.
For Stenson, promotion to Division 3 has simply illuminated the county and put a strong wind behind its people. The county chairperson is in the middle of calving season on the farm, and he will miss his weekly mass choir appearance in Mohill tomorrow evening – where he has been singing since 1987 – but Croke Park trumps everything.
"Just the last week, it has been incredible," he says.
"Promotion means we will probably be able to keep hold of Andy for another year. His enthusiasm is infectious, the way he deals with younger players, the way he can get support for the senior team.
"We have had to travel all season, but we have outnumbered teams three to one in their own backyard, and we will travel in force tomorrow.
"We have every confidence in these lads. What they have done so far has just been incredible."
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