Cork City boss: FAI should be more supportive of women's game

CORK City Women’s manager Danny Murphy has criticised the Football Association of Ireland for forcing a fixture clash between the club’s men’s and women’s senior sides last Saturday.

City’s women secured an important three points as they defeated Munster rivals Treaty United 2-1 at Turner’s Cross with the game kicking off at 2pm. City’s men played their first match in 15 days and held Sligo Rovers to a 1-1 draw at their training ground in Bishopstown with the friendly at 3pm.

It is understood that the initial plan was for the men to play at 5pm to make it possible for supporters to attend both with the club exploring the idea of creating an offer on tickets to increase the attendance at the two fixtures.

But due to the Republic of Ireland taking on Scotland in the UEFA Nations League at 5pm, the FAI left little alternative but for the men’s friendly to go ahead at 3pm.

“That’s not a club issue,” began Murphy. “People are having a go at the men’s side of the club but the game was organised months in advance and then the FAI decide that we have got to play at a certain time.

“It’s a friendly game. If people are going to watch Ireland they are going to watch it on TV.

Being down in Cork, I don’t get why the FAI think it’s the right idea to hinder women’s football by making the club play at a certain time.

“For me, the FAI should be supporting and going ‘Look, do you know what, it’s only a friendly game, those people are probably not going to go and watch the game anyway, they’ll probably watch it in a pub or at home so just carry on with what you had organised.’ For me, it starts at the top and we have to adhere to what they want us to do so we didn’t really have a choice in the fixture.

“The game was organised months ago, the time was agreed but then the FAI say on Thursday that the game has got to be changed to a certain time. I’m more disappointed in them. I think they should be showing support for the women’s game not affecting it by making the change to the kick-off time in the men’s game.

“The young kids that were there today really made an atmosphere and it was good for the girls so if we are winning and showing the things that we showed on the pitch today I think more people will come to watch.”