Women need to support women’s sport, says Ryan

All-Ireland winning Cork Ladies football coach Eamonn Ryan believes women’s sport needs a stronger following — from women.

The veteran trainer, who guided team of the year Cork to their ninth All-Ireland in 10 years this year, feels the tide is turning in terms of crowd support for women’s sport — and members of the fair sex should lead the charge.

“One of the problems with women’s sport is that it needs more support from other women. I feel strongly about that,” he says in an extended interview in tomorrow’s bumper Sport 2015 magazine with the Irish Examiner.

“Women are more likely to got to a Munster rugby match than a ladies football match,” he said.

“Take September’s camogie final. There must have been only 5,000 ladies at that game. That was a very good game of hurling, irrespective of gender, with some superb scores and skill. It deserved a bigger audience.

“But this isn’t an Irish problem. If you look at the FA Women’s Cup final in England, they get a small crowd. That’s a country with maybe 30 million women. There was more at the Ladies Football All-Ireland, so when I’m taking ladies to task for not going to games, I’m not castigating Irish ladies.”

Watergrasshill man Ryan added: “I understand disposable income has to be spread over a broad spectrum of sporting choice and the likes of the All-Ireland men’s finals are iconic events. But if more women supported women’s sport, it would boost the image of the game and act as an incentive for the players. The only day they play in front of a crowd is the All-Ireland final. The other days there would be no-one there. It’s very sad.”

He explained the historical barriers for a sport like ladies football, which is only 40 years in existence.

“From 1880 to 1950, there would hardly ever have been a woman at a GAA match. Ladies Football is only 40 years old, and during that time, women have begun attending big sporting occasions. It will get better.”