Camogie’s profile hits new highs

THIS year’s Gala All-Ireland championship will be the highest profile in the history of the sport, according to Camogie Association president Joan O’Flynn.

For the first time, the majority of games will be played in county grounds, which is envisaged will help increase standards and attendances.

It also means that television coverage can be facilitated more easily. RTÉ has committed to showing highlights of one game from every round in the group stages and will put up webcasts on www.rte.ie, while another first will be an award handed out at the end of the year for the best performance of the season.

The Gala Performance Award will be presented as a result of the public’s votes through www.gala.ie and www.camogie.ie, with the winner getting a special custom-made gong and a five-star luxury weekend away.

For new president of the Camogie Association O’Flynn, it is all about building on the progress that has been made in recent years.

“It is great to secure the county grounds for the first time as a platform for showcasing the game,” she said at yesterday’s launch in Croke Park. “We approached the counties and there’s been a positive reaction to it.

“It ensures the girls are going to have the highest standard of facilities available in the county which is important in terms of the standard of the game.

“It’s also important that facilities are good for supporters because public recognition of the game is crucial in terms of the effort that players put in.

“As well as that, it is about the status and recognition of players as sporting equals within the GAA family and that would be important for the future.”

Efforts will be made to increase publicity to attract greater attendances to games but it is the product itself that is crucial in this regard.

Splitting up the senior championship into two groups of four, with each team only playing each other once, will help peak interest, O’Flynn maintains.

“What helps attendances is competitive action. This year’s championship is quite unpredictable so that means all the games are going to be interesting. If there’s an uncertainty about the result, there’s more interest in the game.

“We’ll be doing our utmost to promote the games. Hopefully the games themselves are going to be attractive in their own right.”

The championship gets under way on Saturday week with champions Cork facing Dublin at Páirc Uí Rinn, while league winners Wexford travel to Limerick.