Linda Mellerick: No excuse for another camogie and ladies football fixture clash but dual era is over

WHAT an exhausting fortnight it has been again for Matthew Twomey and Shane Ronayne, with no return. 

The fixture clash goes ahead today with the camogie players in Ennis and the footballers in Clonakility. 

The LGFA made attempts to get their game switched to Friday or Sunday. Tipperary refused. 

But Tipperary aren’t the bad guys here. They could have their own genuine reason for denying the change and even if they didn’t, that’s their prerogative at such a late stage. 

RIDICULOUS

This clash was known months ago, why the LGFA didn’t just change the fixture back then instead of the 11th hour and putting the onus on Tipperary is ridiculous. 

The camogie association confirmed last week that they wouldn’t be changing, their reason being that second place in group 1 could come down to scoring difference and so they wanted all counties to finish at the same time so there would be no advantage given to any one side. 

Well unless they expect Down to beat Galway, that is a non-runner of an excuse in order to not make a date change.

I said last week that I think the day of the dual player is over. I gave some of my reasons why, none of which was because of fixture clashes. 

There was no reason for this to happen AGAIN but it has. It would wear you out. 

But I think we need to be clear at this stage where we are at with both associations. 

At this point in time, they are separate, and just because they are both Gaelic games as we know them, that is irrelevant to them. 

They don’t care about dual players. Just as would be the case if the dual game was soccer or basketball.  If they clash you choose and that’s all there is to it. 

It seems that all the negative press, all the social media rants run off their backs, so I think managers and players are just going to have to live with it until integration. 

This is the third clash this year, it’s worse it’s getting so don’t think next year will be any different. 

All the associations want to do is get their games played and as a curtain-raiser or with TV coverage if possible. With every competition now being a round-robin format there are just too many games, and the window is short. 

IGNORED

Yes, last weekend was free where neither Cork code had a fixture and yet they ignored that when scheduling. 

They say that the camogie fixtures came out first. I’m not so sure about that. Up to a few weeks ago we still had the playing weekends but still no actual day. We can point the finger all we like. It makes no difference. It’s a massive team distraction. 

Note the statement from both camps earlier in the week. It’s too time-consuming, it’s too absorbing of energy. 

Managers and players and are going to have to rethink things.

The game between Kilkenny and Dublin last weekend saw the first GPA-driven protest as players express their frustration over the failure to implement a player charter for both codes. 

The charter would bring clarity around issues such as expense entitlements, access to medical care and pitches, as well as the provision of playing gear, among other issues. 

Cork are looked after far better than many other counties to be fair. Other counties are miles behind and the protest is good. 

Extra work is being done to try and provide additional funds to ensure Cork’s senior and intermediate camogie squads get what they need.  A number of former players are running a two-day golf classic on July 6-7. 

Anyone interested in supporting the girls please reach out to any board member, player, or manager.

A draw will do Cork in Ennis today in group 1 to get into the quarter-final draw. Tipperary and Kilkenny will do battle to determine who finishes first and second in group 2. 

Waterford and Antrim meet in group 3 to determine the same scenario.

Six teams will qualify for the knockout stages, two from each group. 

Two of the three group winners will advance directly to the semi-finals, with one team joining the other three second-placed teams in the quarter-finals.

The identity of those straight to the semi-finals will be determined by a draw involving the three group winners.

Down, Wexford, Dublin, Limerick, and Offaly have no chance of qualifying for the knockout stages