DUBLIN CAMOGIE PLAYER Leah Butler has backed the Camogie Association’s decision to opt for a split season after their initial schedule drew strong criticism. 

The threat of strike action prompted the organisation into a rethink and following a nationwide poll of clubs, a small majority backed a demarcation between the club and county seasons. 

53% of clubs voted in favour of the split season, with 47% voting for the initial model which would have seen the National League and All-Ireland championship take place either side of club championships. 

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Dublin midfielder Butler admitted she was surprised the saga dragged on for so long.

“The GAA announced quite a while ago now that they were going with the split season, so to get the structure that we got, I was kind of surprised,” she said.

“But I’m happy now that they back-tracked and the decision got changed because I think it suits inter-county players to have the split season, to have a defined county season and a defined club season.

“As well, a lot of players play dual, they play football for their club as well as camogie. So they wouldn’t have been able to play their games in the opposite code, if they were playing championship with county and club championship [at the same time].

“It has worked out in the end. And I’m just delighted the Camogie Association listened to the players’ voice. I think a lot of people are happy now.

“I was a little bit surprised [the vote] was close, but a win is a win for Option 2 with the split season.”

A GPA poll of the camogie inter-county playing body saw 82% vote in favour of a split season, which led to the Camogie Association reviewing their initial decision.

“The Camogie Association, they were considering all players, not just inter-county players,” said Butler. “Obviously there’s tens of thousands more club players than there is inter-county players.

“So that’s where their decision came from. But it was surprising their decision was different to the three other codes. That’s just the way it went. But I’m glad it’s reversed now.”

The Cork camogie side indicated they were prepared to strike for the opening round of the league this weekend if the issues around structure were not resolved.

Asked if her team came close to announcing strike action, she said: “Not for us in the Dublin team anyway. I know Cork were talking a lot about it. I think if we had to go there, we would have.

“But it would have been a huge group decision, between maybe the inter-county managers would have come together, or the player reps or whoever. I don’t think that one county might have striked on their own, but if it would have happened, it would have been a full inter-county decision.”

Dublin take on Kilkenny in the opening round of the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League on Saturday. Butler says the group didn’t take their eye off the ball despite the uncertainty of recent weeks.

“We remained focus on our game this weekend against Kilkenny. We obviously were aware of what was going on. But this game is going to be huge for us.

“So we were focused on that, and we kind of left all the work to the WGPA then with the Camogie Association, with regards to reversing the decision.”

Of new Dublin manager Adrian O’Sullivan, she stated: “We’ve had a good start. Our first two months was through Zoom and online. We put in a lot of groundwork before we did go back training and now we are flat out.

“We have a great management team. Adrian has brought this huge, positive atmosphere to the team and training has been really, really enjoyable.” 

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1. Imagine, just for a second, that a man did all of this. His mug would be splashed across Connolly Station Bridge so people marching on Croker could see him. His brand would amass seven-figure annual returns from a post-career media profile. He’d be a household name, loved or despised with everyone agreeing he’s an ‘athletic freak’.

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Lindsay Peat.

Source: Inpho.

O’Connor, as a coach, is well placed to explain how it is even possible for an athlete to play four sports at the highest level.

“Pound for pound she is the strongest female athlete I’ve come across. It is just sheer force of personality as well. If we were practising high catching she’d go ‘Right, we are practicing together’. Mainly because nobody else wanted an elbow in the gob but also she knew I worked a lot of the high catch ‘You practice it all the time and you are the tallest so I want to practice with you ‘cause you’ll be the hardest to beat.’

THE TIPPERARY LADIES have suffered a huge blow ahead of the championship following the news that star player Aishling Moloney has suffered a cruciate injury.

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Moloney, who was named the 2019 LGFA Intermediate Player of the Year, confirmed the news of the dreaded knee injury on her Instagram account today.

“Joining the ACL club for a while,” the two-time All-Ireland intermediate winner wrote. “Shall be back.”

Moloney was forced off during her side’s Division 1B clash with Dublin in Thurles earlier this month with what looked like a leg injury. She is now set for a long spell on the sidelines after sustaining a medial knee ligament injury last year. 

A dual-player with her club Caher, Moloney will be a major loss to Declan Carr’s side as they prepare to get their championship campaign underway next month.

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A post shared by Aishling Moloney (@aishlingmoloney1)

They have been drawn in Group 2 of the senior championship, and will face Cork and Meath in their round-robin fixtures on 17 July and 24 July.

Tipperary will also go into those crunch ties without Aisling McCarthy who signed a new deal with AFLW side West Coast Eagles this week after her season Down Under was derailed by knee injuries.

She is continuing with her recovery at home in Ireland although it’s not clear when she will return to full fitness.

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Updated May 14th 2021, 10:14 PM

THE GALWAY SIDE to face All-Ireland champions Limerick on Sunday has been named. 

Tribe boss Shane O’Neill makes four changes to the side from last weekend’s big win over Westmeath, as Padraic Mannion, Joseph Cooney, Adrian Tuohey and David Burke come into the team.

Out go Aidan Harte, Conor Cooney, Shane Cooney and Johnny Coen, with the latter two named on the bench. Joe Canning is also among the substitutes.

The Limerick side sees Cian Lynch and Geared Hegarty come into the team to make their first starts of the year, while youngster Cathal O’Neill is also given the nod by John Kiely.

Leaving Cert student O’Neill is making his senior debut for the Treaty.

The Tipperary team to face Cork has also been named as veterans Paudie Maher, Noel and John McGrath, plus John O’Dwyer make their seasonal debuts.

Kieran Kingston makes four changes to his team for the game against Liam Sheedy’s side.

Sean O’Leary Hayes, Robert Downey, Shane Kingston, and Alan Cadogan are introduced, replacing Sean O’Donoghue, Seamus Harnedy, Jack O’Connor and Shane Barrett.

Finally, Brian Lohan was unable to name a full Clare starting XV to play Wexford after late injuries to Éire Óg duo David Reidy and Shane O’Donnell at training tonight.

Lohan made three changes so far as Rory Hayes, Liam Corry and David Fitzgerald come into the side as Paul Flanagan, Paddy Donnellan and Cian Galvin drop out. 

The team togging out against Luimneach this Sunday🤩#GaillimhAbú #riseofthetribe@SupermacsIRE pic.twitter.com/Zo3F2Jesq4

— Galway GAA (@Galway_GAA) May 14, 2021

Galway (vs Limerick)

1. Eanna Murphy (Tommy Larkins)

2. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore)
3. Gearoid McInerneny (Ornamore Maree)
4. Jack Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly)

5. Adrian Tuohy (Beach)
6. Padraic Mannion (captain — Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
7. Fintan Burke (St Thomas’)

8. David Burke (St Thomas’)
9. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)

10. Joseph Cooney (Sarsfields)
11. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge)
12. Brian Connannon (Killimordaly)

13. Jarlath Mannion (Cappataggle)
14. Niall Burke (Oranmore Maree)
15. Conor Whelan (Kinvara)

Limerick (vs Galway)

1. Nickie Quaid (Effin)

2. Aaron Costello (Kilmallock)
3. Dan Morrissey (Ahane)
4. Richie English (Doon)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell)
6. Kyle Hayes (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
7. Barry Nash (South Liberties)

8. William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsiagh)
9. Brian O’Grady (Kilteely/Dromkeen)

10. Gearoid Hegarty (St. Patrick’s)
11. Cian Lynch (Patrickswell) (Captain
12. David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca)

13. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora/Manister)
14. Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon)
15. Peter Casey (Na Piarsaigh)

Tipperary (vs Cork)

1. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan)

2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross-Ballycahill)
3. Brian McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
4. Barry Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg)

5. Paudie Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
6. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s Clonmel)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)

8. Alan Flynn (Kiladangan)
9. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)

10. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
11. Noel McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
12. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)

13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
14. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
15. Willie Connors (Kiladangan)

Cork (vs Limerick)

1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)

2. Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons)
3. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
4. Sean O’Leary Hayes (Mildeton)

5. R Downey (Glen Rovers)
6. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
7. Niall Cashman (Blackrock)

8. B Hennessy (St Finbarrs)
9. T O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum)

10. Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own)
11. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
12. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)

13. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
14. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
15. L Meade (Newcestown)

Clare (vs Wexford)

1: Eibhear Quilligan (Feakle)

2: Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tones)
3: Conor Cleary (St Josephs Miltown)
4: Liam Corry (Éire Óg)

5: Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
6: John Conlon (Clonlara)
7: Aidan McCarthy (Inagh/Kilnamona)

8: David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona)
9: Tony Kelly (Ballyea)

10: Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
11: TBC
12: Colin Guilfoyle (Newmarket-on-Fergus)

13: Ryan Taylor (Clooney/Quin)
14: Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
15: TBC

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Colin O’Riordan (right) in action for the Sydney Swans.

Source: AAP/PA Images

THERE WAS A winning start for Dubliner James Madden to his AFL career on a busy day of action for Irish players in Aussie Rules action.

Madden made his bow for Brisbane Lions in their Round 7 clash with Port Adelaide at the Gabba.

And the Lions cruised to victory, 93-44, with Madden contributing 11 disposals from his interchange role.

The Ballyboden St-Enda’s club man signed for Brisbane in August 2018 after impressing for the Dublin minor footballers and at the AFL European Combine in UCD in December 2017.

The Lions are now in the top eight after this victory as they move to seventh.

Irish debutant, James Madden, ready to roar.

Learn more about James here: https://t.co/ZBweisdZEK#AFLLionsPort pic.twitter.com/IsIOFxrfjE

— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) May 1, 2021

It was also a notable weekend for Tipperary’s Colin O’Riordan as he made his first AFL outing of the 2021 season for the Sydney Swans.

And they won 90-88 in a thrilling encounter against the Geelong Cats, who had Laois man Zach Tuohy in action with Kerry’s Mark O’Connor out injured. A match-winning goal late on from Tom Papley gave the Swans the victory.

O’Riordan had 14 disposals and three marks for the Swans while Tuohy had 18 disposals and seven marks for the Cats.

A dejected Zach Tuohy (second left) after Geelong’s defeat.

Source: AAP/PA Images

Kilkenny’s Darragh Joyce enjoyed his first win of the season in St Kilda colours as they ran out convincing 128-59 victors against Hawthorn.

Joyce played for the first time in 2021 last week against Port Adelaide, his first AFL appearance in two years. He had 12 kicks and five marks as the 2014 All-Ireland minor hurling winning captain helped his team triumph.

Darragh Joyce (centre) tries to mark the ball against the Hawks.

Source: AAP/PA Images

Meath’s Conor Nash wasn’t involved with Hawthorn in the match between teams ranked 13th and 16th on the AFL ladder.

There was disappointment for Cork’s Mark Keane as his Collingwood team lost out 79-55 to the Gold Coast Suns at the MCG.

Keane, playing only his third ever AFL game, had 13 disposals and 4 marks during the game.

Mark Keane (file photo).

Source: AAP/PA Images

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OFFALY OVERCAME a slow start to defeat Meath by 16 points in today’s Division 2A  Allianz Hurling League opener.

Offaly found themselves a point behind at the first-half water break after missing plenty of chances. They led by 2-13 to 0-7 at half-time and another scoring burst in the third quarter put them in control.

The Faithful County, who suffered a shock Christy Ring Cup semi-final loss to Down last winter, hit the net through Oisin Kelly, Adrian Hynes and Shane Kinsella in the 3-25 to 3-9 win.

Eoghan Cahill top-scorer for Michael Fennelly’s side with 0-12, Michael Duignan’s son Brian clipped over a brace and experienced forward Shane Dooley arrived off the bench to add a score in the closing stages.

Trailing by four points early in the second-half, Kerry gave themselves plenty to do before they saw off Down by 4-18 to 0-19 also in Division 2A.

Maurice O’Connor grabbed two goals for the Kingdom and Shane Nolan posted 1-6 in the 11-point win.

Elsewhere in Division 2A, Carlow ran out comfortable 3-19 to 0-17 winners over Wicklow in Tom Mullally’s first game in charge.

Marty Kavanagh bagged two goals and Ross Smithers added another for the Barrowsiders.

In Division 2B, Donegal beat Roscommon by two points, 1-13 to 1-11, and former football star Keith Higgins captained Mayo to a 0-20 to 1-15 win against Derry.

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MEATH BOSS ANDY McEntee says full-back Conor McGill was spat on by a Kildare player in the incident that sparked a full-scale brawl at the end of their Division 2 semi-final defeat.

The Royals were left counting the cost of defeat after an ankle injury to Brian Menton and shoulder problem for Donal Keogan forced both men off the field during the fast-paced and hard-hitting encounter.

Things got worse in the closing stages when a melee kicked-off in front of the Meath bench that saw McGill and substitute Brian Conlon sent-off for striking offences. They’re likely to be suspended for the beginning of their Leinster campaign as a result.

“Don’t talk to me about the sending off,” said McEntee after the game.

“We had a player who got spat on in the face and he ends up getting sent off so I mean…how many players were involved in that? A) how many players were involved in it, and B) who started it? And what was the outcome?

“Conor McGill is not a fighter. Somebody spits in your face, what are you going to do?”

Conor McGill is sent off.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

The Royals also had Andy Colgan and Ethan Devine booked after the brawl involving almost every player on the field. Alex Beirne was the sole Kildare player to be disciplined with a yellow card.

“It seems slightly imbalanced to me,” remarked McEntee. “But obviously I’m biased.”

He felt there would be no point appeal the red cards as their Leinster championship begins on 4 July against Carlow or Longford.

“There’s no appealing it, you’re wasting your time appealing. That’s always been my experience. If the referee says he struck, he struck.”

With just three weeks to go before their championship opener, both Keogan and Bryan Menton are injury doubts at this stage.

“Keogan [had] an AC joint [injury], maybe separation, that doesn’t look good. Bryan Menton [hurt] ankle ligaments, so we’ll assess them during the week.”

Meath paid the price for a poor start to the game as they trailed by six points at half-time.  Six unanswered points at the finish brought them within three in stoppage-time, as Kildare needed Mark Donnellan to pull off a couple of important saves in the finale. 

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“We weren’t at the pitch of it all the first half I’m afraid Kildare dictated the pace and physicality of the game, we weren’t winning the contests, and the scoreboard probably reflected that, although we had a number of chances, we had four scores from 10 attempts I think.

“I don’t see any particular reason for it, it was an important game,” the Royals boss added. “You don’t have to be off by much in games like this, if you’re off a little bit it shows. It looks like a lot.  

“Kildare were certainly at championship physicality, unfortunately I don’t think we matched them until it was probably too late, and even though we probably could have snatched something.”

Originally published at 16.51

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