LGFA tried but failed to facilitate change in Cork dual clash

DUAL STAR: Cork's Libby Coppinger clears from Down's Olivia Boyle earlier this month. Later that afternoon she came on as a second half sub for the Cork footballers. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

The LGFA have said they tried but were unable to facilitate a change of fixture to resolve the latest Cork dual clash, with the Camogie Association remaining silent on the matter.

Both Cork teams have must-win championship games this Saturday; the county’s senior camogie team are away to Clare (3pm), while the ladies footballers welcome Tipperary to Clonakilty (2pm).

It is the second time in a fortnight that a clash of championship fixtures has arisen affecting Cork dual players Libby Coppinger, Hannah Looney, Orlaith Cahalane, and Aoife Healy.

On Saturday week last, Coppinger was at full-back for Cork’s All-Ireland camogie championship win over Down at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Immediately after the game, Coppinger travelled almost three hours up the road to Pearse Stadium, Salthill where she was introduced as a second-half sub in Cork’s football defeat to Galway.

Both the Cork camogie and ladies football camps have made contact with the respective governing bodies to request that one of Saturday’s games be moved to either the Friday evening or Sunday to avoid the four dual players having to choose one code over the other. Those requests have not and will not be granted.

A spokesperson for the LGFA told the Irish Examiner on Monday that “for any change of fixture, both counties need to be in agreement”.

The spokesperson added that “efforts were made to facilitate a Friday evening fixture and a Sunday fixture for Cork v Tipperary, and Tipperary were contacted, but these efforts did not work out”.

The Camogie Association were also contacted by the Irish Examiner to establish why the Cork-Clare game could not be switched to Sunday, but no response had been provided at the time of writing. Prior to the Cork-Clare fixture being firmed up over the past week, the initial date for the game on the Camogie Association website was listed as July 1/2, meaning the option was there to fix the game for Sunday.

Separate to Sunday’s statement from the two Cork panels imploring the LGFA and Camogie Association to resolve this latest fixture clash, the Irish Examiner has learned that Cork football and camogie players wrote separate letters to Camogie president Hilda Breslin and Ladies Football CEO Helen O’Rourke.

The camogie letter, signed by captain Amy O’Connor and team players representative Laura Treacy, made reference to a Waterford camogie fixture being changed earlier this month to ensure a Déise dual player did not have to choose between codes.

“On Saturday June 17, Limerick and Waterford were due to play in Camogie. This fixture was changed to Sunday, June 18 to facilitate one dual player who was playing with the Waterford Ladies Football team on Saturday, June 17 against Donegal. This change was rightfully made to facilitate one dual player. We have four dual players and have yet to be facilitated.

“One of the aims & ethos of the LGFA is listed as: ‘The Association recognises the role of the Dual Player, who is a member of both the LGFA and Camogie Association, and will endeavour to facilitate them as far as is practicable’. Again, this is not something we feel is the case in the current situation.

“We are asking that one of the games be moved from July 1st to July 2nd. As a group, we have trained extremely hard for eight months for this and it is not fair that we are forced to be without members of our panel because of clashes like this that can be easily resolved.” 

A number of former All-Ireland Cork winners have vented their frustration on social media at the clash.

“Infuriating that this lack of collaboration is STILL arising,” said Bríd Stack. “Looks like not much has changed since we watched our teammates Mary [O’Connor], Ange [Walsh], Briege [Corkery], Rena [Buckley] & Co. having to play two games in a day or worse, being made to choose between the two. That was 15 years ago.” 

2014 All-Ireland winning Cork camogie captain Anna Geary asked “how was this not sorted when the fixtures were first released? Is it any wonder the players are crying out for basic minimum standards”.