Cork ladies football and camogie boards back Aghada motion to tackle constant fixture clashes

Aghada’s motion aimed at tackling fixture clashes for dual players has been passed by both the Cork LGFA and Camogie conventions, marking a significant move towards greater fixture coordination between the two codes.

The motion, an amendment to both the Camogie Official Guide Rule 2.2 and the LGFA Official Guide Rule 8, stipulates “that Both the Camogie and LGFA County Boards, before the start of each playing season, agree a master fixture plan to as best as possible alternate weeks for each code, and at a minimum clearly designate alternate final and semi-final championship weekends for each code."

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Once implemented, the measure will require fixture makers from both associations, at county and national level, to coordinate their schedules before finalising and ratifying each season’s fixture list.

The proposal was passed at the Cork LGFA convention on Monday and again by Cork Camogie on Wednesday evening. It is now set to be brought forward to the respective national conventions in February.

The move is seen as a major step in ensuring dual players are treated with the same fairness as their male counterparts, after years of calendar conflicts across the club scene.

Recent examples underline the issue. Aghada’s Premier Junior camogie team played Bishopstown in the county final at 1.30pm on Saturday, October 4, before their senior ladies footballers faced Éire Óg the following day at 4pm, Sunday, October 5.

Last season, Watergrasshill were due to play a Junior B Ladies Football Championship semi-final against Nemo Rangers at 3pm on the same day their Premier Intermediate camogie side had a quarter-final at 3.30pm. 

The club initially refused to field in protest before Nemo agreed to reschedule to the Saturday, allowing both games to proceed.

Under the new arrangement, such situations should no longer arise, with clubs guaranteed at least a week’s separation between semi-finals in both codes.

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The problem has also extended to inter-county level. Just this past summer, Cork dual players Libby Coppinger, Hannah Looney and Aoife Healy were forced to choose between codes when the camogie side faced Clare and the footballers met Mayo – both fixtures scheduled for Saturday, June 21.

The Aghada motion represents one of the most tangible steps yet toward easing the long-standing burden on Cork’s dual players – and may now help shape national policy if adopted at February’s conventions.