No fair play as Laois Camogie team placed at Intermediate grade despite relegation to Junior last year

Last July, the Laois Intermediate Camogie team were beaten in the relegation final by Kildare after extra-time. Following that game, Laois were then relegated to the Junior grade for 2023, or so they thought.

The draws for the All-Ireland Camogie Championships took place last week and to the puzzlement of many involved in Laois Camogie, Laois were drawn alongside Meath, Westmeath and Kerry in Group 3 of the Intermediate competition, even though they'd been relegated the previous season.

The members of the Laois Camogie Executive released a statement regarding the ongoing saga, part of the statement reads, "Despite what we feel are our best efforts to communicate with Leinster and National Camogie Association executive to ascertain why Laois remained in Intermediate classification, we feel our efforts to date have been met with lack of full disclosure and indeed a tardiness in replying which has had the result of Laois carrying on playing and losing all games to date in the Intermediate competition in 2023. Player and management engagement is frustrating for us as we have no clarity on the reasons for what we feel is a very unfair position that they have been placed in."

Laois played in Division 2A of the Very Camogie leagues, a division made of up Intermediate teams. Laois unfortunately lost all five games in the league, thus showing even more that the Laois side don't have the calibre of players to compete in the Intermediate grade this season. As well as that, Laois' average age of the team is 19 while there are seven girls due to sit their Leaving Certificate, with fixtures down to be played throughout the course of the State Examinations. 

Noel Brennan's side are due to begin the Intermediate Camogie Championship with a trip to Meath on the weekend of May 27/28 before a home game against Westmeath on June 10/11 with the final game against Kerry on June 24/25.