Web Exclusive | Paddy Maguire a fan of the new Championship system

For a player, there is nothing better than playing games so it is no surprise to learn that Glencar/Manorhamilton’s Paddy Maguire is very much a fan of the new format for this year’s Connacht Gold Senior Championship.

This year’s Championship featured two extra groups games and Paddy feel the new system is much better for players - “I think I’d be a fan of the new system. Starting off slowly, I think the games stood to us and it is something like Mayo, we had eight out of nine weeks, we played eight games so it helped us.

“I have enjoyed it actually, five games this time last year to get to a final, including the final, last year and it is eight this year. It is easier than training, it is more enjoyable. You go out a Saturday evening or a Sunday, it is a game and you don’t hold back.

“Every lad gives it everything on the day and you don’t hold back, there are positions up for grabs and it gives lads there on the bench more of chance to get on the team when there are more games.

“We started off slow and I think the last three games, especially the replay against Aughawillan, we’ve grown and I think we’ve got better and better. That format, getting more game time and using more lads has definitely helped us.”

Looking back on the semi-final win over Ballinamore, what stood out for Paddy was the workrate of his teammates - “I was delighted after the game because every man worked hard, I don’t think you could point to any man who didn’t work hard and work-rate got us over the line.

“We said we had to be more clinical with our scoring than we were against Aughawillan and we were and I think that will be important in the final.”

SEE WWW.LEITRIMOBSERVER.IE FOR MORE STORIES AND INTERVIEWS AHEAD OF NEXT SUNDAY'S LEITRIM SENIOR AND INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS.