Launching the new Offaly camogie and ladies football joint fixtures booklet
WHILE very much sister organisations and drawing from many of the same pool of players, the ladies football and camogie organisations have not always been the best of friends but that is changing very much in the better in Offaly for 2024.
At national level, there have been plenty of clashes between ladies football and camogie fixtures over the years, resulting in players having to make hard choices. This has also happened at local level, though more infrequently and less acrimoniously, but the Offaly Ladies Football and Camogie County Boards have taken very pro-active steps to cut out any conflicts.
They launched their joint fixtures booklet for the 2024 season last week and this is a hugely positive initiative for all involved. It is the first time that the fixtures are being co-ordinated on a week to week basis between the two bodies and this is a great step in the right direction.
It aims to streamline their respective fixtures schedules to ensure greater participation and promotion of both sports.
Apart from reducing or eliminating fixtures conflicts, they hope this will allow for increased attendances at games.
The move comes as ladies football and camogie engage in moves towards full integration into the GAA and more clubs embrace the one club model,where the GAA club caters for all family members, male and female. At present, the GAA, camogie and ladies football are separate organisations, albeit with the ladies using GAA facilities.
Chairperson of Offaly Camogie, James Kirwan said last week: “We are delighted to partner with Offaly LGFA on this initiative. By alligning our fixtures, we can create more opportunities for women and girls to participate in sports, whether camogie or gaelic football. This joint effort represents a significant milestone for womens' sports in Offaly and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our athletes and communities.”
Tom Fitzmaurice, chairperson of Offaly LGFA described the initiative as a testament to their commitment to advancing womens' sport in Offaly. “By working together, we can ensure that our players have the best possible experience and that our supporters can enjoy high quality matches week after week. We are proud to be part of this historic moment and look forward to the season ahead.”
The booklet includes fixtures for both Offaly Camogie and Offaly LGFA, including league and championship matches and other events. It is being made available to clubs, players and supporters in digital and printed formats.
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