Camogie Association calls special congress over Skorts controversy

James Cox

The Camogie Association has announced it will call a special congress at Croke Park on May 22nd to resolve the skorts controversy.

A recent survey shows 83 per cent of inter-county players would prefer to wear shorts instead of skorts or be given a choice.

A protest by Dublin and Kilkenny players last weekend resulted in the game almost being called off.

Cork and Waterford camogie teams also confirmed they intend to wear shorts at this Saturday's Munster Senior Final.

Dublin camogie player Aisling Maher has welcomed the news.

“I really welcome the news that Camogie are recognising how significant this issue is for players, that they've obviously realised that postponing this issue until 2026, never mind 2027, is just not seen enough. So I really welcome news that it'll be addressed this year,” she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

Ms Maher said she was hopeful that delegates will have re-evaluated the situation and that the vote at the special congress will be representative of how players really feel.

“I would hope that this can be dealt with in a common sense way. Obviously, the conversation that we had at the time of our game against Kilkenny last weekend was that if we proceeded in shorts, the game would be abandoned.

“I know a number of games have since been held at club level in a number of the counties where the approach that has been taken has been to ask the ref to note any players that are wearing shorts and as it is in breach of present playing rules to report it to the county board or the organisation that's governing the game at that time.

“So I would like to think that the players in Cork and Waterford who have made it very clear that they want to play their Munster final on Saturday in shorts, that they'll be there ready to go, play, put on a great display for everybody who's going to hopefully go to support them. I would I would to think a similar approach can be taken. To ensure that they are allowed to continue to play this game in what feels comfortable for them, because it would be a backwards step to expect players in the interim of getting this across the line to wear skorts.”

When asked if the referee would be expected to “turn a blind eye” if players come out in shorts for the Munster final, Ms Maher said that the onus should not be on referees “in the middle of the pitch” or the players on the day to deal with the issue.

“It should be dealt with at a higher level by the administration. So between the Camogie Association and the county boards involved, I think both Waterford and Camogie county boards have come out in support of their players wearing what they feel is comfortable and appropriate for them to wear on Saturday. So I would rather see it dealt with on an administration level than for players and referees.”

Ms Maher also acknowledged that the people who will be participating in the special congress in two weeks will be the same people who previously voted to retain skorts. However, she was hopeful that they will have taken on board the reaction of players as the vote in 2024 was not representative “of how players feel on the ground".

“I would hope that each delegate will individually go back to their own players within their own counties” to ensure that the vote they bring to the special congress is representative of how players really feel."  - Additional reporting from Vivienne Clarke