Abbeydorney players facing stark choice due to fixture clash

Abbeydorney manager Mary Roche has called for common sense to prevail after a fixture clash has left 10 of her players facing the choice between featuring in a Munster football or camogie semi-final on Saturday.
The controversy over the fixture impasse has led to Kerry’s Munster Council LGFA representatives resigning from the provincial council.
A total of 11 Abbeydorney players are caught up in the fixture standoff, though one of those is injured.
Abbeydorney are scheduled to play at home to Limerick’s Mungret in a women’s Munster junior football semi-final at 1pm on Saturday.
Seven of the players also play camogie for Cillard, who are fixed to play Croagh/Kilfinny in a provincial camogie semi-final in Kilmoyley at 2pm.
Three more Abbeydorney footballers play camogie with Clanmaurice, who are fixed to play in Tipperary against Moneygall in a Munster intermediate semi-final at 2pm. Clanmaurice won the All-Ireland intermediate club camogie title last December, despite having only 17 players on the panel.
In an effort to allow their players feature in both codes, Abbeydorney have offered to give up home advantage and are willing to play on any of the days over the bank holiday weekend.
However, as of Tuesday evening they were still staring at a fixture dilemma.
“We are none the wiser, to be honest,” said Roche. “We just want to give the players the opportunity to play both, but right now it still seems like they will be forced to choose, which is very unfair.
“Common sense should prevail. I understand they are two separate committees but we just want them to come together, communicate and give the players an opportunity to play both.
“Our players have said they are willing to play two games in the same day, it’s obviously not ideal but we are open to any possible solutions.”
It is not the first time such a fixture clash has emerged in recent seasons involving dual players in women’s football and camogie, but the decision of Kerry to pull members from Munster LGFA has highlighted the frustration at the current situation.
“In light of recent issues involving our county representatives in Munster club championship fixtures it is with regret that our Munster LGFA executive members feel they have been left with no choice but to resign from their positions with immediate effect,” read a statement
“As a Kerry LGFA executive we strive to put our clubs first and assist them in any way we can. Ourselves along with Kerry Camogie are appealing to the Munster LGFA to work with the Munster Camogie fixtures to try and offer a solution to allow all players represent their county in what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“While we understand that this may not be entirely possible, we are asking all parties involved to exhaust every avenue available to them before any final decision is reached.”
The statement was signed by the chairperson of the Kerry LGFA, Nora Fealey, and chairperson of Kerry camogie, Anne Marie Russell.