LONGFORD ACE FEARS FOR FUTURE OF GAME

BACK in 2014, after Leitrim suffered a 21-point qualifier defeat to Down, the then county secretary Diarmuid Sweeney aired his views on the direction that the county’s flagship team was taking.

In doing so, he cast doubt on whether they should even field a team at senior level anymore. “Under the current system, there is always going to be a gap between teams and it is only going to grow as time goes on,” he said. “There is talk of entering Leitrim in the junior championship and forgetting about senior status. It would be a big move. Consideration needs to be given to it and the question needs to be asked, would Leitrim be best served in the junior championship? The junior championship can be competitive and maybe that is the level we are at.”

It’s important to note that Sweeney’s comments were not well received locally and, unsurprisingly, the suggestion didn’t gain any traction as, seven years on, Leitrim continue to field a football team in League and Championship at senior level, just like every other county with the exception of Kilkenny.

But, as a seismic vote on football competitions loom at Special Congress seven days from now, Longford’s Mickey Quinn (above) genuinely wonders, similar to Sweeney back then, whether counties will persist with putting out senior teams if change isn’t forthcoming.

A member of the GPA’S national executive committee, Quinn is a staunch supporter of proposal B, which would effectively see the Allianz League format adopted and adapted for the Championship.

The provincial structure is seen as a disincentive for many players to commit to county football but while Quinn didn’t play for Longford on the resumption of county games at the back end of last year, it wasn’t for that reason.

“My wife was pregnant at the time and with Covid, bigger picture that there’s things more important,” he explained. “Family is massively important and my reason for playing inter-county is for playing on the big stage, that your family get that opportunity to see you and the buzz that comes with it and having that opportunity playing in Croke Park in a meaningful competitive game, be that a Tailteann Cup or whatever.”

He was back this year and will be putting his hand up for 2022 as well regardless of what happens at Special Congress – but he won’t be grabbing the gear bag with the same enthusiasm on that first night back if the status quo remains.

“Definitely not, definitely not and I’ve seen it in the past where that provincial draw that’s made in November, early doors, and you’re looking to see what side of the draw you are. It dictates a lot.

“It’s a bit of a dagger in the back, one step forward, two steps back kind of approach. This is the chance to kind of change that and promote football.

“If we keep going the way we’re going we’re going to be left well behind and you wonder in the future is there going to be a senior team for Longford or for Leitrim. That could actually happen – that you mightn’t have the numbers.

“If the levels and gaps keep opening, if something doesn’t happen, that there’s going to be massive change. It mightn’t be reversed.”