Dublin and Kilkenny players forced to change to skorts after protest-wearing shorts
CAMOGIE PLAYERS FROM the Kilkenny and Dublin teams were forced to change by match officials after the two teams arrived to the pitch wearing shorts rather than the mandated skorts this afternoon.
The players' move ahead of the Leinster senior championship semi-final was in a coordinated protest against the 'archaic' rule that camogie players must wear skorts – a skirt with a pair of shorts attached underneath – while playing.
The players were told to change by the referee, who said that otherwise the match would not be allowed to take place.
The Kilkenny team stood on the pitch while the national anthem played, while the Dublin team walked off. Eventually, all thirty players returned to the dressing room to change and emerged in the mandatory skorts to play the match.
Advertisement
Under the rules of the Camogie Association, players must wear a 'skirt/skort/divided skirt' while playing matches. A referee can issue players with a yellow card for not wearing the correct uniform, and a red card if they continue not to comply.
Kilkenny Camogie's PRO Aoife Lanigan said that many players have reported annoyance at the mandated skort-wearing during games, while others don't mind the rule.
In 2027, the Camogie Association, LFGA, and the GAA are set to become one integrated body.
'If we are going in 2027 to join the three of them together, are we still going to be wearing skorts, if we're all part of the GAA?' Lanigan said.
She pointed out that the camogie uniform has come through a slow but steady transformation over the years. Previously, the uniform featured long skirts and pinafores. The skort is the final hangover in the modern rendition.
All Ireland Camogie semi final, Parnell Park, Kilkenny vs Cork 7/8/1999 - Cork's Sinead O'Callaghan tries to get away with the ball. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
The rules of the game cannot be changed until Congress.
In a position paper released by the Gaelic Players Association earlier this week on the matter, it reported that 83% of the 650 inter-county camogie players surveyed would prefer to wear shorts or believe that players should have the option to choose.
Of the players surveyed, 70% reported discomfort while wearing skorts, and 65% reported concerns about exposure in media content, affecting their mental state.
The GPA summarised that its position is that players should have the choice on whether they want to wear either a skort or shorts while playing.
Kilkenny won the match 4-11 to 2-12.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
16 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Tactical analysis: Aerial dominance and nous in final third will prove pivotal in decisive football weekend
It has been hard to gauge exactly where everyone stands in the race for Sam Maguire , but all should be clearer after the final round of group games this weekend, where every match has something at stake. One of the key aspects of the final round is the fact that teams have two weeks of preparation time. That leaves plenty of time to identify opposition strengths and weaknesses. It is very hard to call the games as we head into the weekend. Games are taking on a life of their own as teams try to make the new rules work best for them. It has led to some thrilling games and no shortage of drama. Three of the biggest games are Dublin v Derry and Armagh v Galway on Saturday, and Mayo v Donegal on Sunday, so let's take a look at some of the strengths of each of the six teams. READ MORE Mayo As Mayo approach Donegal in a do-or-die game, they will be hoping the kickout zone will be as profitable for them as it was against Tyrone . Mayo opted to go long for all of Colm Reape's 16 kickouts and managed to secure possession on 12 out of 16 (75 per cent). Mayo scored 1-6 from these 12 won, while Tyrone scored 1-1 from their four won. Mayo would have been happy with their five-point profit from their own kickout. It would be easy to look at these figures in isolation and say that Mayo were excellent at the breaking ball zone, but interestingly, they won three of these kickouts as a result of Tyrone fouls in the air, trying to shield the ball through. In the absence of Tyrone's Brian Kennedy, it would have made sense for Reape to avoid Conn Kilpatrick, but going right down his throat was an aspect of Mayo's play that showed bravery and a willingness to fight. They made sure Kilpatrick won nothing clean, through subtle and not-so-subtle contact on the Edendork man in the air. They were also ravenous on the breaking ball, often with two men at the front of the break. Mayo worked hard to get men around the breaking ball in the landing zone. Mayo tried to curb the influence of Conn Kilpatrick by stopping him getting off the ground. Additionally, Mayo showed a strong hand on the Niall Morgan kickout, winning nine out of 12 (75 per cent) that were sent long. Over the course of the encounter across kickouts in both directions, that is a staggering 21/28 (75 per cent) of the long kickouts won by Mayo. This really indicated their hunger for the battle. However, Mayo also managed to put Tyrone under severe pressure on their short kickouts, as Tyrone only returned 0-3 from their 12 short kickouts won. Mayo even managed to spoil one short one, as Davitt Neary turned over Shea O'Hare when Morgan didn't get his kickout wide enough. Mayo also smartly fouled the first receiver on the Tyrone kickout on three occasions, allowing all the Mayo bodies behind to reset. In further emphasising this cuteness, they managed to not concede a 50m penalty on any of these. Overall, Mayo scored 0-6 from the Tyrone kickout, with Malachy O'Rourke's men only managing a point more than that, 0-7. Mayo managed to force lots of pressure on the Tyrone kickout, even when they went short, such as Davitt Neary turning over Shea O'Hare on this kickout. The big question as Mayo head for Dr Hyde Park to face Donegal is whether they can replicate such a performance on the kickout. Donegal are unlikely to be as profligate if they get hands on ball on their own short kickouts and there is the added risk of goalkeeper Shaun Patton – if he's back – going over the break zone. Donegal With their Atlantic coastline, Donegal are used to waves. When they get their running game going from deep, those waves can be hard to stop. Two scores before half-time against Cavan , initiated from defensive turnovers that led to 1-1 at the far end of the field, highlighted this strength. The first score started as Eoghán Bán Gallagher intercepted a loopy Cavan handpass, then Donegal attacked in unison as the ball went through hands of both Ciaran Moore and Peadar Mogan, with Ryan McHugh also ahead of the ball, before a Cavan foul - Patrick McBrearty scored the resultant free. Then a turnover and a powerful Finbarr Roarty burst started from behind where the ball was turned over and ended with him palming the ball to the net, as he left the tracking Cavan men in his wake. This sent Donegal into half-time on a high after a lot of good Cavan work in that opening half was wiped out. In the first half, Donegal scored 1-6 (including a two-pointer) from the 10 possessions that originated behind their 45m line, eight from turnovers on Cavan and another two short kickouts from Gavin Mulreany. Donegal's Finbarr Roarty started his run from behind where the turnover occurred. And it ended with Roarty palming the ball to the net. This relentless efficiency from ball originating inside their own 45m line continued in the second half, as another seven turnovers and a short kickout led to a further 2-3. Donegal by the end of the game scored 3-9 from the 19 attacks that originated inside their own 45. This is a warning to Mayo to make sure that they don't allow Donegal to get possession in this area, as the punishment will be more severe than what Tyrone served up. Dublin Armagh got a lot of credit coming out of Croke Park two Sundays ago , but equally Dublin were nowhere near as bad as it was portrayed. It is easy to point to the missed efforts, as Dublin hit 16/37 efforts (43 per cent), and there was also the uncharacteristic three-up breaches. Dublin will have come away from the game very happy with how they set up on Ethan Rafferty's kickouts. With their zonal approach, they forced Rafferty to try to execute high-risk kicks into pockets of space. Dublin's zonal press meant Ethan Rafferty was occasionally forced to go wide with his kicks. Dublin's zonal press here forces Rafferty to make a risky chip into a congested area. Dublin won 15/33 (45 per cent) of the Armagh kickout, but they didn't convert this strength to the scoreboard. Rafferty is really accomplished at striking the ball and this zonal set-up may yield better dividends for Dublin in Newry. Ethen Rafferty getting off a perfect kickout in Croke Park - Dublin's press may yield better returns against someone not as accomplished as Rafferty. Derry Are Derry getting back to being the side that promised so much in recent years? Not quite, but some of their key players are back performing at a high level and others are delivering high-energy performances. Niall Loughlin was one of these, but so was Conor Glass. The Glen man was back to his best, as he scored 1-3, assisted 0-3 and secondary assisted another 0-2. That is a direct impact on 1-8 of Derry's scores. His awareness of space and ability to manipulate the Galway defence shows a man at the top of his game. Derry create the space to allow Conor Glass take up a scoring position. For the second backdoor cut, Derry manipulate the space by moving eight players inside the 20m line while Conor Glass assesses the space around him. Having moved backwards before making his run, Glass then advances with his teammates smartly keeping their shape to afford him space. Glass was on hand in the clutch moments when Derry needed leaders. After Galway's first goal, he was there to palm the ball to the back of the net. He was a key man again after Galway's fourth goal, as he slipped John Maher (who was specifically detailed to mark him when Derry were in possession) with a backdoor cut to set up the Derry equaliser. However, it is not necessarily these on-the-ball actions where he is most influential for the team. He was marauding around the field, making his presence felt at the tackle zone as he imposed himself physically on Galway. It is often hard to get a true gauge of the defensive output of a player, but he was involved in turnovers, tackles and slowing attacks throughout the encounter. On two occasions, with Cillian McDaid in the first half and Jack Glynn in the second half, his ferocity in the tackle led to a break in play as the Galway men required medical attention. His contact and tackle technique as Seán Kelly attacked the goal during the Galway resurgence contributed to the defensive display. Armagh Armagh have shown really strong attacking creativity over the past number of years. The basketball influence of Kieran Donaghy along with the thirst for innovation in the management when it comes to finding an extra percent advantage is always evident. Armagh showed a number of excellent screens in the encounter at Croke Park which helped to unlock the Dublin defence. One particular screen, by Rory Grugan on Sean MacMahon in the 24th minute, allowed Andrew Murnin glide in for a shot at goal. It brought Stephen Cluxton into action with a great save. The ease of cutting through the Dublin defence really highlighted the power of such screens. Armagh do this regularly and to great effect. Rory Grugan screen creates space for Andrew Murnin to move into - the effort on goal was saved by Stephen Cluxton. A closer image of Armagh's Rory Grugan creating the space for Andrew Murnin. The Orchard county were lauded last year for their attacking innovation in terms of set plays and while the game has become faster with the new rules, they are still able to manufacture them and execute. One such attack took place in the 16th minute. Éamonn Fitzmaurice on RTÉ correctly identified that Dublin stayed zonal as Armagh tried to set up an overload in attack. After Armagh probed the weak side, they quickly transferred the ball back to the other side of the pitch through Oisín Conaty and Grugan shot a controlled two-pointer. Kieran McGeeney has recently described Grugan as 'one of the best players I've ever seen'. Stopping the Ballymacnab man will be top of Galway manager Pádraic Joyce's priority list this weekend. Rory Grugan signals for Armagh to create the move - they have succeeded in setting up setplays this season despite the game being faster. After probing one side, Oisín Conaty switches the ball across the pitch with a kick to Rory Grugan in space. Galway There are many moving parts with Galway. If consistency and cohesion arrives, they will be very hard to stop. The question is how does that consistency and cohesion materialise? Joyce will be hoping to have his best players on the field, but he will also be looking to have the players on the field who enable those stars to function. As was mentioned with Conor Glass, he makes such an impact off the ball and is unselfish in his actions. Can Galway get a similar return from their on-ball stars? One thing we know for sure is that this Galway set-up is a cut-throat environment. The game against Derry finished with Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid and Shane Walsh all watching from the bench. There are not many teams that can leave players of their quality on the line and stage a comeback like the Tribesmen did. Armagh have already qualified for the next phase but any question of this being a soft fixture is nonsense. The Galway v Armagh rivalry has become one of the best in the country. If past evidence is anything to go by, a one-score game is likely to materialise. It could go either way in Breffni Park. Analysing an opposition on one game is layered with danger as there is so much individual context to a one-off game. What materialised in the round-two fixtures is unlikely to be an indicator of what happens in the round-three games. The matches are so variable and unpredictable at the moment, swinging wildly based on how teams set up for the opposition and how the opposition sets up for them. This is great news for supporters, but it also means management and analysis teams are second guessing everything. Paul O'Brien is a performance analyst with The Performance Process.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Podge Delaney urges Laois to bounce back from Croke Park heartbreak ahead of Tipperary clash
DESPITE suffering Croke Park heartbreak for the second year on the spin, Podge Delaney is keen for Laois to make the most of their chance to prove that they are no average Joes. Last Advertisement 2 Podge Delaney urged Laois to bounce back after their Joe McDonagh Cup heartbreak 2 Tipperary play Laois this weekend in the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals But the 2025 campaign is not yet over for Tommy Fitzgerald's side, who face As Laois discovered in their defeat to Wexford at the same stage last year, regrouping to take on top-tier opposition so soon after failing to achieve the ultimate objective is a tall order. Experienced defender Delaney said: "It can be tricky. It's a quick turn-around, especially after losing. It can be a lot easier after a win and you have momentum behind you. "But at the end of the day, it's a Championship game and you're putting on the Laois jersey. Advertisement READ MORE ON GAA "You want to do yourself proud as well. We don't get too many years to do it so it's another Championship game where we'd like to put in a good performance." As the only Joe McDonagh team to have won a game in the Liam MacCarthy Cup since the competitions were linked, Laois remain the benchmark when it comes to mixing it with the big boys. Delaney was a member of the side who stunned Dublin in 2019, before going on to be beaten by eventual champions Tipp when an All-Ireland semi-final spot was up for grabs. While riding the crest of a wave, respectable performances were also produced by recent McDonagh winners such as Antrim, Carlow and Offaly. Advertisement Most read in GAA Hurling Comment Comment However, as evidenced by an average losing margin of 24 points, it has proven more difficult for the beaten finalists to get back on the horse. Still, Delaney said: "It's nice to get the opportunity to play the top teams as well. Back in 2019 we beat Dublin, so there's scope there to win games and have a real cut off bigger teams. GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather 'It's definitely a lot easier when you win the final but we'll pick ourselves back up again and go again on Saturday.' Although the teams were level at half-time, Laois were left to rue their first-half wides tally of 11 against Kildare as they sought to atone for losing last year's final to Offaly. Advertisement Things were looking good nonetheless as Paddy Purcell netted to give them a 1-11 to 0-11 just seconds after the restart. However, they were outscored by 2-15 to 0-8 thereafter as the Lilywhites sealed a ten-point triumph. Delaney reflected: "I think in the second half we kind of just fell away from the game. I don't know what it was. Even at half-time and after we got the goal, I thought we had scope to push on. But we just kind of fell away. "Kildare are obviously a savage team as well with savage, fit players, unbelievable hurlers as well. They got on top of us in the second half and we couldn't claw it back." Prior to this season, Kildare had never won a game at that level. Laois, who competed in the Leinster SHC as recently as 2022, were favourites to seal their return. Advertisement Delaney added: 'They had a bit of freedom. I suppose we gave them a bit too much freedom on the field as well. But look, they're a great team. 'What they're after doing in the last year is brilliant. I'm working up in Kildare so I can see first-hand the work that's going into hurling up there. It's brilliant to see it." Laois will have home advantage on Saturday for a meeting with a Tipperary team they encounter regularly in challenge matches. Delaney said: "We've played them nearly every year for the last few years. We know they're a savage outfit. Advertisement 'We'll just be hoping we can put in a good performance to give the fans that were up in Dublin the other day something to cheer about, because we feel like we kind of let them down."
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Derry still All-Ireland contenders says former All Star - but they must step up
Chrissy McKaigue insists that Derry remain All-Ireland contenders despite the woes of the past year - but says they must now step up. Paddy Tally's side face a season-defining All-Ireland series Group 4 tie with Dublin in Newry on Saturday knowing that a victory will guarantee them a spot in the knockout stages - but they haven't won a game in regulation time since beating Westmeath at the corresponding stage last year. Former Oak Leaf defender McKaigue, who announced his retirement last November, challenges the perception that Derry's showing in 2024 was disastrous, pointing out that they won the McKenna Cup and Allianz League while reaching the All-Ireland quarter-final and that he endured far worse seasons than that over the course of his lengthy innings with the county. He said: 'It was more so we didn't meet expectations. I'm not saying that everyone follows that narrative but it's amazing that narrative was depicted in so many areas and I felt Mickey Harte last year got a lot of scrutiny that was a wee bit over the top at times. 'I still feel that Derry are a contender for Sam Maguire. Maybe not this year in the same capacity as last year but do I feel that Derry squad will have the potential to be a contender for Sam Maguire in the next number of years? I do. 'I still think we're knocking there or thereabouts. I feel that the underage in Derry is really strong and you'll probably be yet to see a couple of the players that I'd be really excited about.' Having lost six and drawn one of their seven League games before losing to Donegal and Armagh in the Championship, Derry had a golden opportunity to get that elusive win over Galway last time out, though they just about scrambled a draw in the end. 'I think even the most ardent Galway supporter would say that they got out of jail with that one,' said McKaigue. 'Even with the nature of the new rules, the leads don't mean as much anymore but certainly for the vast majority of the game Derry played all the football, brought a huge amount of physicality and huge amount of intensity which is probably the first time they brought it this year to that level of consistency. 'But the worrying thing for Derry still is that they played seven games in the National League, Donegal in the Ulster Championship and now two games in the round robin. 'That's 10 games and they still haven't won a game yet. So they'd want to be clearing that one out fairly soon and the hard thing for Derry this year is all their games so far this year have been against Division One teams - that's probably a new thing in itself, so they've had a tough year from that point of view.' Tackling Dublin outside of Croke Park boosts Derry's chances on Saturday, says McKaigue, who feels that the Dubs will be very hard to beat if they get back to GAA headquarters. 'I just think Dublin will have a big say in this year's All-Ireland potentially. I hope they don't because that will mean that Derry will have been turned over. 'They're a different side without Con [O'Callaghan] too. He is their David Clifford, he is their leader, he does so much for them and gives them that composure and that settled feeling. 'I just think if there's one team that can cause you a lot of bother with the new rules in Croke Park, it's Dublin. A couple of their performances this year, like Derry in the League in Croke Park, they were awesome. They were very, very polished against Galway I thought also. 'For large parts of the game against Armagh, let's be honest, they were very impressive, bar the scoreboard. Sometimes we can get caught up in people's different analysis of the game. Armagh were worthy winners but Dublin still have a wee bit to work with.'
