Leitrim's league final trumps calving and choirs this weekend

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