Dual star Libby Coppinger: It's time for camogie and ladies football bodies to unite

‘If the dual player has to go, it should be because the standard has gotten too high or you can’t commit to both, not because they are not facilitating it,’ says Cork dual star Libby Coppinger. Picture: Inpho/Bryan Keane

On a weekend where the Camogie Association followed the LGFA in rejecting a motion designed to facilitate and support dual players, Cork dual player Libby Coppinger has called for a merger of the two associations.

The Dublin motion, rejected by 76% of Camogie Congress attendees, sought to write in rule that the Camogie Association “recognises and supports the concept of a Dual Player, as defined, and will encourage all of its Units to support and facilitate its playing members of all ages, who wish to do so, to play both Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football”.

No more than when the motion was defeated at the LGFA Congress earlier this year, it is believed Saturday’s Camogie Congress — which took place in a virtual format — voted down the motion because of concerns the wording was too open-ended.

Cork dual player Libby Coppinger, who is facing three potential fixture clashes next month, has said it is time for the two associations to come together under the one banner. Such a merger should have happened years ago, she added.

On Saturday, November 7, Cork's ladies football and camogie teams are scheduled to play All-Ireland championship group games. Galway are willing to move the camogie championship fixture between the counties to Sunday, November 8, but, as of yet, there has been no official confirmation of this switch.

The All-Ireland camogie quarter-final is fixed for the same day — November 14 — as Cork’s All-Ireland ladies football championship group fixture against Cavan, while the All-Ireland semi-finals in both codes are pencilled in for the weekend of November 28/29.

As reported by the Irish Examiner last Friday, Cork’s five dual players — Hannah Looney, Fiona Keating, Meabh Cahalane, Ciara McCarthy, and Coppinger — are considering boycotting any games that end up being played on the same day.

“Obviously, I think we should be the one association and be promoting camogie and ladies football together,” said Coppinger, an All-Ireland winner in both codes.

“One association should be the case for years. It is not a new thing. I don't know why, when they were doing the fixtures and knew they were working with such a short period of time, they didn't just pick up the phone to say, ‘this is what we are doing, we are open to working around you if you work around us'.

It is a two-way street, and they are both on very different roads. Other teams always seem so accommodating. It seems to be down to the two associations not being able to talk.

'Players are suffering'

Coppinger said it is the players who are suffering because of the lack of communication and cooperation between the Camogie Association and LGFA.

“They need to communicate. They need to talk to each other and listen to each other. Players are suffering. I feel it always seems to be Cork in the headlines, but there are dual players all around the country who literally just want to play the games they love and give it their all.

“The associations need to come together and make it easier for dual players to focus on the games they love and put in the time and effort to make themselves better, and not having to try and figure out how to sort out a clash.

"Take that away from them and make it as easy as possible for them just to play the game.” 

The 2020 county championship winner with West Cork ladies footballers fears the dual player may become an endangered species at inter-county level if such fixture clashes as those facing the Cork quintet next month continue.

“If the dual player has to go, it should be because the standard has gotten too high or you can't commit to both, not because they are not facilitating it. It shouldn't be a case that fixtures are stopping people playing both.”

Libby Coppinger in action for West Cork during the county championship this year. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

In her Congress foreword, Camogie president Kathleen Woods said the association’s “working relationship with the GAA and LGFA has moved forward, driven by the Memorandum of Understanding agreed by all three Codes”.

Ard Stiúrthóir Sinéad McNulty, in her report, said the Memorandum of Understanding will bring the associations closer together.

“At a national level we will develop closer working relationships with a view to an agreed model for the Gaelic Games family in the future. This partnership working and relationship building at a local level is bringing rewards with players playing in county grounds more often, shared fixtures calendars being prepared, and officers being able to consult their counterparts for advice in various situations.” 

Meanwhile, Hilda Breslin will become president of the Camogie Association next year after her election at Saturday’s Congress. The Leinster chairperson will take over from Kathleen Woods after the 2021 Congress in April.