Camogie Association will poll members over fixtures calendar

The Camogie Association is to poll clubs and members over its fixtures calendar for the coming season.

The planned season, as confirmed this weekend, was for an inter-county league, then a club championship followed by an inter-county championship, in that order. That contrasts with the split season adopted by the GAA and LGFA.

Criticism followed from senior inter-county players, 82% of whom had voted for a split season in a Gaelic Players Association (GPA) survey.

The GPA sought clarity from the Camogie Association and today, the governing body issued a statement on the matter.

That statement read: “The Camogie Association's priority is to maximise meaningful games opportunity for all of our members, and to do this in a fair and equitable manner. One that ensures games for the county player, and games for the club player.

“Our proposed fixture list is designed to achieve this. However over the last 48 hours there has been disquiet from the GPA and our inter-county players in relation to our fixture calendar.

“To gain clarity on the path the entire association wants to take during this Covid-19 time, we have decided to poll our members over the next seven days. This poll will be carried out through all camogie clubs, and the result will guide our fixture calendar. Details of this process will follow.”

Yesterday, the association said its priority was 'providing as much camogie to as many girls as

possible in the remaining eight months of the year', mirroring the approach taken in 2020.

To that end, the Ard Chomhairle decided on the inter-county league, club championship and inter-county championship approach.

Uachtaran Hilda Breslin, at a county chairs meeting on Friday evening, explained the rationale: “What we hope is the last surge in the Covid pandemic has restricted our options and left us with a very difficult choice. It is not possible to satisfy all of the genuinely held perspectives and interests at once. We have gone with the option that gets most players back on the field as quickly as possible.

“Our clubs are the foundation of our association. It’s important that there are competitive club matches for as many players as possible this summer. In this way our clubs will be to the fore in revitalising the physical and mental health of young people in communities across Ireland.

“We are also committed to achieving a programme of inter-county activity, starting with the Littlewoods National Leagues in May and concluding with the All-Ireland inter-county championship.

“With cooperation at all levels of the game, there will be an opportunity for players at all levels and abilities, together with coaches and hopefully in time spectators, to enjoy our unique sport and compete for silverware.”

The result of the poll over the next seven days will now determine the Camogie Association's 2021 fixtures calendar.