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Irish Post
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Post
Cork and Waterford camogie squads unite in condemnation of Munster Final postponement over skorts row
THE CAMOGIE squads of Cork and Waterford have released a joint statement condemning the postponement of the Munster Senior Camogie Final amid an ongoing dispute over skorts. The players had indicated on Wednesday that they intended to wear shorts in Saturday's decider, which are not permitted under current camogie rules. This prompted the Camogie Association to call a special congress for May 22, where a motion would be considered, which, if passed, would allow players to wear either skorts or shorts. However, the evening before the Munster decider, which was set for the Tipperary County Camogie Grounds at 1pm on Saturday, Munster Camogie said the game had been deferred. "As the committee in charge of the Munster Championship, we have reviewed the situation regarding tomorrow's Munster Final," read a statement from Munster Council Chairperson Christine Ryan. "As the current camogie rules of play are still in place and the players have indicated they would not be prepared to play the game in shorts, the decision has been made to defer the game in the best interests of all players and officials involved. "The details of the rescheduled fixture will be released in due course." 'We feel completely let down' In response, the Waterford and Cork panels said the late call showed 'scant regard' for the players' welfare. "As a united group of players, we want to express our bitter disappointment that today's Munster Senior Camogie final has been postponed," read a joint statement. "It shows scant regard for the preparation of players both physically and mentally to be ready for a provincial showpiece, to make this decision just 16 hours before the scheduled throw-in. "Anyone with any understanding of what it takes to compete in elite sport knows that this could never be in the best interests of the players. "We feel completely let down. Both panels had meticulously planned to peak for today. Training schedules and workload now have to be readjusted, while not even knowing when the game will take place. "There was an opportunity to take a step forward from the recent controversy. Instead, a provincial final has been postponed because we took control of what we would wear. "To us, that feels like a massive step backwards." 'Outrageous disregard for players' Following Saturday's postponement, Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack said she was 'absolutely disgusted' by the decision. "These women have trained for months, made sacrifices and looked forward to this moment only to have the final pulled from under them the night before over what they choose to wear. It's disgraceful," she said. "The Munster Camogie Association's decision shows an outrageous disregard for the players involved. "Let them wear shorts. It's not a complicated ask — it's about comfort, equality and being listened to. "We genuinely believed the Camogie Association was finally beginning to listen, especially with the vote now scheduled for May 22. But clearly, nothing has changed. "Instead of compromise, they've chosen to punish these women. "Why could these players not be allowed to play in shorts while awaiting the outcome of that vote? "The decision to call off the match sends a terrible message — that speaking up will be met with cancellation, not conversation. '"he players deserve better. They've earned the right to be heard, and to play." Also on Saturday, Dublin and Offaly players took to the pitch in shorts for their Leinster Camogie Minor A Shield Final at St Peregrine's in Blanchardstown. However, the game was not allowed to go ahead until after the players returned to the changing room to change into skorts. It mirrored scenes from the same ground a week ago when Kilkenny and Dublin were told their Leinster Senior Camogie semi-final would not go ahead after they originally lined out in shorts. See More: Camogie, Munster Camogie, Skorts Row
Irish Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Politicians urge camogie players to wear shorts in Munster final amid Skortgate
Camogie players taking part in this weekend's Munster Final have been urged to wear shorts despite rules demanding they wear skorts. The Dublin vs Kilkenny match was nearly called off last weekend after players initially refused to wear skorts, which are a skirt/short combination. Camogie Association rules dictate that players cannot wear shorts, despite years of campaigning for choice about what female players wear. Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack wore shorts in Leinster House on Wednesday 'in solidarity with the camogie players around Ireland'. She said: 'We have noticed a lot of kickback from the players. 83 per cent of the players said in a survey they were uncomfortable and unhappy wearing the skort. But yet they are still being forced to wear the skort. 'We're calling on the Irish Camogie Association to take this on board. 2027, 2026, is too far away. We need to change the rules for them now so they have the choice. 'As TDs and Senators, we have a choice. But everyone should have a choice.' When asked if she would encourage Cork and Waterford players playing in this weekend's Munster senior camogie final to wear shorts, even if the match faces being called off, Ms McCormack said: '100 per cent.' She continued: 'It's really down to the Camogie Association [if the match is called off]. This does not fall on the players. 'They're asking for this since 1969 and this is going on a very, very long time. 'At this stage they have no choice. So it's not fair in every other sport that we have females participating in, they're not forced to wear a skort.' Sinead Gibney of the Social Democrats branded it 'really shocking and sad that we are talking about shorts on women' and that rules needed to be changed. Ken O'Flynn of Independent Ireland also said he would "absolutely" encourage players to wear shorts. He said: 'The most important thing here is the sport.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Opposition parties rally around camogie players favouring shorts over skorts
Opposition parties have rallied around camogie players who want to be allowed to wear shorts when playing as opposed to hybrid skorts . The issue rose in prominence after Dublin and Kilkenny were forced to change into skorts to fulfil their Leinster semi-final fixture last weekend. Sinn Féin senator Maria McCormack said Laois camogie players would be coming to Leinster House on Wednesday and she would be raising the matter in the Seanad. 'It should be about the sport, not about the skort,' she said. READ MORE 'We're calling on the Irish Camogie Association to take this on board and 2027, 2026 is too far away, we need to change the rules for them now so they have the choice.' She said that 'everyone should have a choice, they shouldn't be forced to wear the skort'. Ms McCormack said she would encourage players in the Munster camogie final this weekend to wear shorts '100 per cent'. Cork and Waterford have indicated they will wear shorts. Sinn Féin said Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan and Minister of State for Sport Charlie McConalogue should intervene with the Camogie Association. 'When such a majority of players are very clear on this, when we're in 2025, it should not be that we are treating our athletes in this way that it is going to take two years [for change],' said Social Democrats TD Sineád Gibney. She said that the progressive values of modern Ireland should be reflected in national organisations. 'Women in sports are routinely discriminated against, there's a huge amount of underfunding, we've seen large campaigns in the last decade to try and promote women's participation in sports.' 'The fact that we are talking about women wearing shorts to perform at the height of their athletic capability is really quite shocking when we have so much else to deal with,' she said. Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central Ken O'Flynn said 'the most important thing here is the sport' and that he would back the players who chose to wear shorts '100 per cent'. 'If that's their choice as players, we should be supporting that,' he said. 'And we should be moving with the times, and if the players dictate that this is more comfortable, this is what they feel better, we should be accommodating that.' He said it would be 'an awful tragedy' if the match did not go ahead due to a conflict over the rules. 'Maybe sometimes people need to stand up for a cause you believe in, even if you stand alone at times.' His party leader Michael Collins said that camogie players need to be respected, and he called on the sporting bodies to make changes immediately and make sure the game goes ahead.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Opposition parties call on camogie players to wear shorts at Munster final
The Cork senior camogie team is expected to wear shorts this Saturday afternoon in the Munster final in Tipperary. Currently under Camogie Association rules, skorts must be worn to play games and shorts are not allowed. However, controversy has broken out over the wearing of skorts, with camogie players saying they are uncomfortable. Recent research published by the Gaelic Players Association showed 70pc of inter-county players deem skorts uncomfortable, and 83pc seeking the right to choose between wearing skorts and shorts. Sinn Féin Senator Maria McCormack said she is wearing shorts today in the Seanad in solidarity with camogie players. 'I'm wearing shorts today in solidarity with the camogie players around Ireland. Laois camogie players will be coming up today to Leinster House and I will be raising this in the Seanad,' she said. She pointed to the survey and said the Camogie Association should now take this on board. 'We're calling on the Irish camogie association to take this on board, 2027, 2026 is too far away. We need to change the rules for them now,' she said. She said she would '100pc' encourage players to wear shorts this weekend as a form of protest. 'No camogie player around the country goes to training in a skort, they all wear shorts when they're training, so why should they be forced to wear a skort? ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'It's really down to the camogie association, it's not down to the players. They're asking for this since 1969 and it's going on a very, very long time,' she said at Leinster House. Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn also said camogie players should wear shorts at the Munster final. 'We should be supporting them and we should be moving with the times, and if the players dictate that this is more comfortable, this is what they feel better in, we should be accommodate that,' she said. He said players should have the right to speak up and not feel 'segregated or silenced'. His party colleague TD Michael Collins said 'camogie players need to be respected' and said the change the players are seeking is 'very simplistic'. Cork senior camogie player Ashling Thompson said her team are prepared to forfeit the upcoming Munster final if players are not allowed to wear shorts during the match. The six-time All-Ireland winner has said the Cork team will wear shorts when they come head-to-head with Waterford in Tipperary this weekend. Speaking to RTÉ's News at One, Ms Thompson said players will refuse to wear skorts, even if it means abandoning the game. She said she hopes Waterford will follow suit, but that her team are prepared to give up the Munster title in order to protest the rule against wearing shorts. "I think what we're going to do is wear shorts and if we're asked to return to the dressing room, we won't. If that means abandoning the game and handing over the Munster title to Waterford, that's what we'll do. We're just hoping Waterford follow suit," she said. "It's not about us versus the Association. It's about standing up for what's right and creating something that will effect, in a good way, younger athletes down the line, when they do get to represent, not only in their counties, but their clubs too, that they will have a choice. "Maybe this might be the push that that everybody needs to get over the line in this decision." She said players are "just asking to be heard" and to "have a choice in what we want to wear and how we represent our counties and our clubs". "It's about respect, comfort, modernising a game that we all love,' she said. Ms Thompson said players should be involved in the evolution of the sport, adding that they are "not trying to make this fight" but to give players a choice. She said she would not be happy if a vote on the issue was brought back before Congress next year, adding: "We're really not being heard if we have to wait, and it almost feels like a punishment if we have to wait until next year." Ms Thompson said it would "of course" be difficult for her side to have to forfeit the Munster final over the skorts issue, but players will take a stand "looking at the bigger picture". "I said recently you've probably only three chances of winning silverware throughout the season, and for some teams like it might be the only silverware they ever get in their career so of course, it'll have a huge impact. But I think, again, we're looking at the bigger picture and what it means for the younger players and the younger generation coming through,' she said. She said camogie is at a "high point" and it is "really disappointing" for the game to be in "a negative light" over the issue of skorts. "It's extremely disappointing that it has come to this, especially on such an occasion as being a Munster final," she said. "As Cork players, we're very proud in terms of how we carry ourselves and how we wear that jersey, but how we can influence the younger generation is the biggest thing for Cork and probably why we're successful in terms of tradition and generation. So, that's really the main focus for us and if it means giving up that title, that's what we'll do."
