Camogie Association must step up to bat for players without any further prevarication– Ní Chuilinn

The Camogie Association has a responsibility to take difficult decisions out of players’ hands, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn, Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Arts, Media, Sport and Communications, said the ongoing skort controversy is placing players who are due to play Leinster final matches this weekend in an impossible position.

Kilkenny and Wexford are due to play in a Leinster final on Saturday May 17th, with the All Ireland series beginning a week later on May 24th.

“There are four teams preparing for this Saturday’s Senior and Intermediate championship finals. With 30-35 girls on each panel, that’s nearly 130 girls who are wondering if their matches will go ahead if agreement around their attire isn’t reached.

“The postponement of last Saturday’s Munster final has already led to a fixture backlog, which will be heightened should next weekend’s Leinster final not go ahead.

“No new date has been announced for the Munster Final, and there is a real possibility it could be played after one of the two teams have already been knocked out of the All-Ireland championship.  The same fate needs to be spared Kilkenny and Wexford.

“Camogie players want to play camogie.  A Leinster final and a Leinster title is a key building block towards a run at a potential O’Duffy Cup win, and to be in limbo six days out about whether it will go ahead is unacceptable.

“It is deeply disheartening that a temporary derogation from the skort rule wasn’t put in place last week.  This would have allowed players the choice to wear shorts ahead of the vote at the Special Congress on May 22^nd.

“The onus is on the Camogie Association to step up now to represent players definitively. I will be asking the Chair of the Oireachtas Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sports Committee to invite the Árd Stiúrthóir of the Camogie Association and fixtures officials to attend this week’s meeting to explain their inaction but remain hopeful that they will make a call on this today.”