Paddy Maguire: ‘We thought we’d never see this day’

Leitrim veteran Paddy Maguire feared that he would never play in Croke Park or be on a county team that gained promotion from Division 4. Terry Hyland’s side will become the first Leitrim team in 13 years to play at GAA headquarters, against Derry in the Division 4 title decider on March 30. Maguire is still pinching himself.

“It’s a great feeling; it’s unbelievable,” he told RTÉ. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet. There’s players here — Emlyn (Mulligan), Gary (Reynolds), and myself — who have been around the block a long time and we thought we’d never see this day and today, thankfully, it has come through and we’ll get a day on the big stage in Croke Park. I don’t think there’s one of us who has played in Croke Park yet, so it’s a great feeling.”