Eimear Ryan: Camogie and hurling's differences are being flattened out, why not go the whole hog?

It’s fantastic that camogie is finally acknowledging the physicality in the game but one has to wonder — who are these ‘minimal contact’ rules designed to protect us from? Each other? Ourselves?

Cork star Amy O’Connor was broadly positive about the rule changes recently, but pointed out that the wording on the shouldering rule needs to be clarified. One person’s ‘minimal contact’ is another person’s haymaker, writes Eimear Ryan. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

At the Camogie Association’s annual congress last weekend, they made it official. New rules which were trialled in last year’s league and championship, and which proved popular with players and spectators alike, have been formally adopted, meaning that it’ll be a new-look game when the league starts back in a month’s time.

I say ‘new rules’ but we are really talking about the elimination of old rules; all the differences between camogie and hurling are being flattened out over time.