Libby Coppinger: Dual players shouldn't have to choose between codes due to fixture clashes
DUAL STAR: Helping launch the Plant the Planet Games in Dublin is Cork camogie player Libby Coppinger. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Libby Coppinger says it's hugely frustrating that she and Cork's other dual players could be forced to choose between the codes at some stage due to the unresolved issue of fixture clashes.
The reigning camogie All-Star is one of four dual players who competed with both county teams this year, ultimately collecting an All-Ireland camogie medal.
On one Saturday in June, Coppinger played all of Cork's win over Down in the camogie championship at Pairc Ui Chaoimh before travelling the 200 or so kilometres to come as a substitute in a football championship defeat to Galway.
A fortnight later, defender Coppinger had to skip the footballers' win over Tipperary entirely as she was required for Cork's camogie championship tie against Clare in Ennis.
Speaking ahead of her return to Kenya next month for the Plant the Planet charity games, Coppinger said the reality is that herself, Hannah Looney, Orlaith Cahalane and Aoife Healy - this year's dual players - may be forced to drop one of the sports due to the scheduling.
"Hannah and me have been trekking through this for a while and the two girls, Orlaith and Aoife, they're massive talents coming through, you'd hate to see them having to pick one or the other," said Coppinger.
"You could envisage maybe having to make a choice but I'd much prefer having to make a choice because the body can't do it rather than fixtures not being aligned.
"At the minute, because management are very willing to allow it, and because we've been lucky and have been injury free and everything like that, it's been manageable but I just don't think it should be a case that it's just not facilitated. It should be a case that (if we're dropping a code) it's because the demands are too high."
Coppinger feels that the LGFA and Camogie Association should, in fact, be doing everything in their power to accommodate those with the ability to play both at the highest level.
"A hundred percent and, like that, our management and our players in both camogie and football, they're amazing to us. They were the ones fighting our corner. We're the ones trying to stay out of it as much as possible but it was our players that were really driving it on which was so nice to see.
"You feel bad sometimes because you feel like we are making it hard for them but when they're backing you like that, it's special."
Coppinger took part in the inaugural Plant the Planet games last November. Over €500,000 was raised by inter-county players with one million trees planted to help tackle the effects of climate change and raise awareness of the work of Self Help Africa.
Coppinger was in Kenya when it was announced that she had won her first All-Star.
"There were four of us nominated that were over there together - so we had our own little All-Star night," smiled Coppinger who will be one of 50 inter-county players travelling to east Africa on November 17.
A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
