Michael McWeeney has appealed for more protection for “targeted” county players when they return to club duty.
The county captain is struggling for fitness ahead of their Connacht Championship opener against Roscommon on May 12 after suffering whiplash while in action for his club St Mary's Kiltoghert recently.
He believes that it’s a regular occurence in Leitrim and beyond when county players line out for their clubs.
He said: “Not making a big deal out of it but when you go back you would prefer to have a bit of protection.
“We played a game [on Monday night] with Leitrim and half our team were missing because we got knocks. I'd like to see players get more protection.
“I saw the Cavan manager saying it, how many players he is down. I see it every year when you go back, you are targeted straight away. I'd just like more protection, from my own point of view. It's been a tough three or four weeks.
“It's the exact same everywhere, you get looked after and even though I was full-back, it's normally the forwards. You're watching him go up the field, a collision, it's in every county. Unfortunately, I got it this time.
“I played the whole League [with Leitrim], then play two [club] games, miss the other two and you hear the few queries coming back about it.
“You'll get those things, a county player back and he won't play, not interested in the club. I just laugh at that stuff.”
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Leitrim are enjoying their most successful season in years having won promotion from Division Four though McWeeney expressed reservations about a tiered Championship being introduced.
He added: “It's down the line, I'd be in favour of it if it was promoted the exact same as the first tier. At the moment what I'm hearing is it's not.
“If it was a tier two Championship that would have the same goals as the first tier, All Stars and trips as well, they have to be equal.
“What I've heard about the Tommy Murphy Cup before was it was just a gimmick. My fear is that if it took that route, it might be ok for a year or two but could slide then.
“The GAA, in my eyes, care about Division One and Two and Division Three and Four are just making up numbers.”
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