It’s time to let camogie players go hammer and tongs at each other
Inside Track with John McIntyre
THE game of camogie is at a crossroads. The sport has come a long way since the era of reduced-sized pitches and temporary goalposts, but as a spectacle it’s not proving a big winner with the punters . . . why? Well, it’s just too ladylike!
That might seem a harsh commentary on the sport, but camogie’s most important stakeholders – the players themselves – are in general agreement. They crave more physicality and far less frees in matches.
No, it hasn’t quire reached the level of where a player is penalised for looking crossways at an opponent, but it’s damn close. Robust challenges and tackling are basically outlawed, with many matches being decided by which team has the more accurate free-taker.
It’s a pity as many camogie players are blessed with the same skills as their hurling brethren. When you look at the toughness involved and encouraged in other sports like women’s boxing, wrestling, rugby and ice hockey, it’s hard to understand why camogie is officiated so strictly.
The natural aggression and physicality of teams continues to be compromised by referees who rarely let anything go. Sure, they are only adhering to the rulebook, but the policing of the sport is over-zealous. The pioneers of the sport may shudder at the thought of women tearing into each other, but this scenario is urgently required to enhance the spectacle.
Family duties took me to Gort last Saturday for the All-Ireland minor camogie semi-final as my niece, Clodagh, was lining out for Tipperary against Clare. It was a close game and the skills set of rival players were impressive, but little or anything physical was let go.
Tipperary ended up losing by a point and to compound Clodagh’s distress, she was sent off late in the game after picking up a second yellow card. Similar to the first one, she was penalised for charging/barging when in possession. It represented a shocking sanction for a player running hard at the Clare cover.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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