Allianz Football League: Scrapping finals would be a disgrace - Harte

Derry manager Mickey Harte feels scrapping League finals would be "a disgrace" and said it would have been an "anti-climax" if his side had won the Division One title after Sunday's 2-19 to 1-9 win over Roscommon.

There have been some calls to get rid of League finals to give teams more time to prepare for the Championship.

Derry face Dublin in the Division One final on Easter Sunday at Croke Park.

"I think it would be a disgrace to take away the league final," Harte said.

After a strong first campaign under former Tyrone boss Harte, Derry finished top of the Division One table after the regulation seven games with 12 points.

They will play All-Ireland champions Dublin, who finished second on 10 points, in the final in Croke Park on Easter Sunday.

"I imagine for the teams down the leagues, the chance to play a league final in Croke Park is the highlight of their year," said the Derry boss.

"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.

"I don't know what is the big deal. One more week's football and shoving the championship on a week, so be it."

Harte confirmed that Gareth McKinless suffered a broken nose early in Sunday's game and said he was hopeful he could play "in the not too distant future" but he would leave the decision in the hands of his medical team.

Asked if he had any chance of lining out in next Sunday's league final, he replied: "It seems highly unlikely but sure who knows, strange things happen".

Derry blew Roscommon away in the final half hour to relegate the yo-yo county from the top flight for the fourth time in eight seasons and set Derry on course for another league final against Dublin. The two contested the Division Two final last year, won by the Dubs.

Harte has an excellent record in the competition, having led Tyrone to Division One glory in 2003 and Louth to the Division Four final in 2021.

Another league final appearance never looked in doubt yesterday, though they were sloppy enough in the first half against the Roscommon, with Harte admitting a repeat of their opening 40 minutes would not be good enough next week.

"They (Roscommon) were going to come with all guns blazing and they're coming fighting for their life and they proved that for 45 minutes, but you just have to get your head around that.

"It is good that you can turn in a higher level of performance when it's needed.

"There's days you can do that and there's days you might not get away with that, you need to be more consistent and play at a higher level across the whole game.

"We have to learn as we go as well. Obviously next week the level of our performance in the first 40, 45 minutes wouldn't leave us in a very good place."

Asked if playing All-Ireland champions Dublin three weeks before hosting Donegal in the Ulster Championship would be of benefit to Derry, Harte replied: "there's a benefit depending on the outcome".

"There could be a low benefit if the outcome isn't what you'd want it to be.

"We seen what they did (to Tyrone) today and they're mean and hungry. They don't take much sympathy on anyone else."

The introduction of Matthew Downey late on made him the 37th different player Harte has played in 11 McKenna Cup and league games as Derry manager.

They are also hitting some big scores with forwards taking the burden off Shane McGuigan and Harte has to be happy with where Derry are at, with the Championship close.

"There's nothing perfect in this life but its progress.

"We are introducing more players to this level of competition and you are introducing hem at the highest level of league football here and that is good.

"But the Championship takes on a life of its own so we have to go and continue and try blood a few more in the Championship if we can as well and see where that takes us."