Attempting to win a 10th All-Ireland title in 11 seasons will never be straightforward, and the Cork women’s football team have already found one obstacle in their way in the form of an “extraordinary” fixture conflict this Saturday.
At least that's how manager Eamonn Ryan describes it. His Cork football team are down to face Kerry in the Munster final (set for Mallow at 6pm), and the Cork camogie team – which features at least three dual players – are also down to face Offaly (at Páirc Uí Rinn at 2pm) in their All-Ireland championship group fixture.
Indeed Cork are reigning provincial and All-Ireland holders in both women's football and camogie. Speaking at the women's TG4 football championship launch in Croke Park, Ryan questioned why there couldn't be a better way to facilitate both sets of players.
‘Extraordinary’
“I suppose the one word you would use is that it’s extraordinary,” said Ryan, with typical diplomacy. “What can you do? You have no say. It’s just done, and it’s happened before, in 2009, 2010, we’ve had players flying [in their cars] from Athenry to Castletownroche, after playing one match. At this stage, you just get on with it. It’s just extraordinary – and that’s the most charitable word I can think of at the moment.”
Cork have two high-profile dual stars in Rena Buckley and Briege Corkery, while Meabh Cahalane also plays both codes, and it's expected both Buckley and Corkery will play both games on Saturday, given their proximity. Not ideal, obviously, said Cork's women's football captain Ciara O'Sullivan.
‘Avoidable’
“It’s a bit ridiculous, really,” said O’Sullivan. “It’s very unfair on the girls and it’s something that could be avoided. It’s not the first time, and if both teams are to get further, it won’t be the last time either. At this level, no matter how much you convince yourself that you can, you can’t give both 100 per cent commitment on the same day, it’s just not possible. I don’t know whose fault it is but it just does seem avoidable.”
Clare, who also have several dual players, are faced with the same situation on Saturday as their senior camogie team is scheduled to play Dublin, with the women's footballers in action in the Munster intermediate final against Waterford.
Also speaking at the championship launch in Croke Park, women's GAA president Marie Hickey admitted the issue of fixture conflicts for dual players is never easily resolved.
“We’ve been working on that, but it’s very hard to find enough weekends in the year to make sure everything isn’t going on the same weekend. Player welfare is something we all have a common interest in, and which we all want to work towards.
“For dual players it is very difficult.”
