Colm Cooper expressed his sympathies for Leitrim.
Former Kerry All-Ireland winner Colm Cooper almost expressed his sympathy for Leitrim’s players, following their demoralising Connacht Senior Football Championship defeat to Galway on Sunday afternoon.
Andy Moran’s side were well beaten by the Tribesmen, with Galway sealing their place in the provincial decider with minimal fuss.
The defeat, however, begs further questions of the long-term viability of the provinicial Championship structures, with Leitrim unable to compete with Galway as they prepare themselves for the upcoming Tailteann Cup campaign.
“It’s a waste of time for Galway and Leitrim..”
Speaking on the Sunday Game after Leitrim’s latest humbling at the hands of a Connacht rival, Cooper explained why he thinks the game was a ‘waste of time’ for both teams.
“There’s a reason why the league is so enjoyable, and it is because teams are competing against teams at their own level, unlike [Galway v Leitrim],” he explained.
“I felt a bit sorry for the Leitrim players” – Sean Cavanagh and Colm Cooper hope the Tailteann Cup will provide a more rewarding experience for counties suffering heavy provincial beatings #GAA pic.twitter.com/575obNxCiV
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 8, 2022
“Leitrim can’t do that and it’s a waste of time for Galway and Leitrim. It is just not competitive. If I was a Leitrim player, that is soul destroying going out there and losing by 20 points and knowing that you are not going to win.
“Where are the prospects, and where are the opportunities?”
A form of football bullying?
Also commenting on the defeat was Sean Cavanagh, with the former Tyrone hero explaining why he saw the game as a form of ‘football bullying’.
“It’s almost like a form of football bullying,” he added. “I was down at the Leitrim v Mayo game last year in Castlebar and I don’t mean to be patronising, but I started to feel sorry for the Leitrim players.
“They were 15 points down after 20 minutes and it was a matter of just seeing out the game. They had very little hope.”
Following their loss, Leitrim’s place in the Tailteann Cup was confirmed, with Galway now set to play Roscommon in the Connacht final on May 29th, with a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final on offer for the winners.
Read More About: colm cooper, galway gaa, leitrim gaa
