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'In the name of maintaining the rule book, they will break all promises made to treasure the game'

This latest fiasco underlines the need for change in camogie, writes Sinead O’Carroll.

MY TWITTER BYLINE reads: “Wannabe figure skater but actual camogie player.”

That makes it sound like I am a top-level camogie player. To be clear, I am not.

I am a bog-standard, corner back for my club team in Kildare. I am not good enough to make county.

But I love the game. I love playing it, I love watching it, I love supporting it and I love praising it.

Until this month, I have also defended it. Against people who try to compare it unfavourably to the men’s game and against those who have erroneous views on its merits, entertainment value and competitiveness.

That competitiveness shows within squads and teams too. Kildare are not a top-level side (yet) but the county squad is difficult to break into, nevermind the first 15 (believe me, I have tried).

Over the past four weeks, camogie has made more headlines than it has in four years. Unfortunately, as is the way with press attention, it has been for the wrong reasons.

All of which have been indefensible.

I read The42.ie‘s headline today - The ‘ludicrous’ camogie coin toss will go ahead after all tomorrowand almost burst with anger. 

This isn’t an issue that directly affects me. I don’t play with Dublin or Clare. I don’t have any particular ties to either team. Honestly, I don’t care which of them gets through.

What I do know is that the players involved in the squads are being disrespected by the very people who are put in place to protect their interests and promote their way of life.

Once you decide to play county camogie, that is what you do.

You don’t do holidays, you don’t do nights out, you don’t do work events, you don’t do Sunday brunches.

You train, you recover, you train some more. You don’t complain. You love it. You hope that this year will be better than last. You pray that this year will keep going.

As someone who knows these players – as sisters, friends and teammates – camogie has to come first if they want to make the cut and then help that team to their next success.

Success in its most glorious form means a day out in Croke Park on the middle Sunday of September. But for other teams, it’s about making a step forward. Getting one good win in a big game. Beating a team that you narrowly lost to last year. Righting a wrong from a previous draw in the current season.

These things matter to sportspeople. They should not have to be explained to those asked to maintain the rules of a competition.

Taking that opportunity away from the players you have the privilege of governing is not following the rules, it is breaking all of them.

So, that’s what will happen tomorrow as the Camogie Association “draws lots” to separate Clare and Dublin, deciding which group of dedicated players will lose their chance to realise this season’s goals.

One team will go out of the Championship after nine months of training without the prospect of any clashes of any ashes.

In the name of maintaining the rule book, they will break all promises made to treasure the game.

They will also break the hearts of camogie supporters around the country who want to see the sport grow and flourish.

The sport is the players. It is not the administration. It is not the Ard Comhairle. It is not the appeals system or the disciplinary committee.

Of course these systems are needed. And, for the most part, they are appreciated. But they need to live up to the dedication and ability shown by our players.

Tonight, in light of the two recent failures of the Camogie Association (the other was also to the detriment of the Clare camogie team when there was a clash of fixtures with the county football team), there have been calls for a merger of ladies’ associations.

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“The way out of this going forward for me is that Ladies Football and Camogie need to work much more closely together to resolve these things for the good of the game and I’ll go one step further this is my personal belief that to avoid this in future I think we should look to merge into one organisation,” county chairman Joe Robbins told The Clare Herald after Round 1 of the Camogie Association versus Clare Camogie.

So, who should get the privilege to govern these talented, impressive sportswomen? I have an idea. Let’s flip for it.

READ: The ‘ludicrous’ camogie coin toss will go ahead after all tomorrow

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