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New format excites Lawlor
Camogie president Aileen Lawlor is predicting an increase in thecompetitiveness and quality of the championship, which gets underway on Saturday.
By Daragh Ó Conchúir
There is a new format which will see the introduction of two quarter-finals, while the group stages will be used as a seeding process for the knockout stages. Each group winner will progress to the semi-finals, while the runners-up will qualify for the quarter-finals. The remaining four teams will feature in two play-offs to complete the quarter-final pairings.
“Last year, Joan O’Flynn was at the helm and had all the counties holdforums” explained Lawlor at yesterday’s launch in Croke Park.
“They were allowed to offer their opinions on any structures they felt needed change. There were a fewdifferent formats proposed and discussed. This format was different, made sense and there were a few extra games but it basically came from the players themselves which is great.
“Wexford will be going for the three-in-a-row but earlier in the year in the National League final, Cork beat them so that will open up their expectations and maybe wake Wexford up a little bit too. Then recently, Clare beat Cork in the Munster final.
“Galway won’t want to be beaten a third time in-a-row if they make it to the end so that will spur them on. And also more recently, Offaly beatKilkenny in the Leinster semi-final.
“So it’s game on. It’s an open, exciting championship ahead and with more teams pushing for honours than ever, that can only be good forcamogie.
“The players train four or five nights a week. They’re athletes now. They’re very competitive, they’re well able to play so I think that makes for a better competition. Any one of those teams on their day is capable of lifting the O’Duffy Cup.
That increase in quality has come as a result of a great volunteer effort, but also the employment of full-time development officers.
It is helped too by the association’s willingness to think creatively and the quality of sideline pucks is sure toimprove significantly with two points now being awarded for successfulconversions.
“It’s a skill that not many can do but if they can do it, why not reward it?” Lawlor declared. “I’d say there’s been a lot of work done on that now between players and mentors to get that bonus point. It’s something different and something that’s unique to camogie. I know hurling tried it a few years ago and then let it rest again. It will add to the excitement of the game.”
Meanwhile, Lawlor is enjoying the first couple of months of her term as president but as a former All-Ireland winner herself with Crumlin, andhaving experienced Leinster championship success with both Dublin and Westmeath, it is this time of year that enthuses her most.
“It’s been busy but that’s what it’s about. It’s great to get right in there at it and there’s nothing like thechampionship to spur it on again. There’s a special buzz and excitement about the championship.”