DERRY GAA boss Mickey Harte explained why the league finals are so important after his side’s dramatic triumph over Dublin.
Derry claimed the Division 1 crown yesterday after the Croke Park thriller went all the way to a penalty-shootout.
'It's amazing to think people were wanting to do away with league finals'
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Smaointe Mickey Harte, an bainisteoir buacach faoin gcluiche ceannais inniu.
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There has been plenty of debate recently surrounding the league finals and if they are necessary to keep in the calendar.
However, Harte remains adamant that they should not be scrapped and used Sunday’s drama as the perfect example.
Harte told TG4: “It’s amazing that people were thinking of doing away with league finals.
“Then we get this one today and the other one (Armagh vs Donegal) was a very close encounter as well.
“So I think it would be an anti-climax if you finished your leagues without a final.
“This is what makes the league as special as it is and I think it was a great game there for the spectators today.
“Not good for our hearts and we had to win it many times but the good thing is we won it when it mattered most at the very end.”
It’s not the first time that Harte has spoken out against the calls to get rid of the league finals.
Just last week, the Derry boss slammed the shouts as ‘a disgrace’ after his side battered Roscommon in the final match before the final.
He said: “I think it would be a disgrace to take away the league final and I imagine as well for the teams down the leagues, the chance to play a league final in Croke Park is the highlight of their year.
“It is as big a day as they are going to get for a lot of them, so why would you take that away?
“It would be an anti-climax if today the league was over and the team that is ahead would win the league. I would not like that.
“If that was in place, we would have won the league today and I don’t think that is a thing to get excited about.
“If you go to Croke Park, play in a final, it is a big day out and finals are made for teams to challenge to get to.
“I don’t know what is the big deal. One more week’s football and shoving the championship on a week, so be it.”
Derry’s win will give them more hope towards the All-Ireland which could see the Oak Leaf County lift the Sam Maguire for the first time since 1993.