All Eyes Will Be On Clare And Derry This Sunday As Dublin Wait To Hear Their Fate

The controversy continues.  All eyes, particularly those of Dublin, will be on Cusack Park in Ennis this coming Sunday as Clare will go head-to-head with Derry in the Liberty Insurance senior camogie championship. This is a must-win game for Clare if they hope to be in with a chance of making it to the quarter finals, but with Dublin also in the running for a spot – and will be guaranteed their place if Clare lose – it’s going to be a tense game. Indeed, there has been huge controversy around the senior camogie championship this week due to the nature in which it will be decided who will advance to the quarter finals. If Clare wins against Derry, both Clare and Dublin will be on the same points. Dublin’s backroom team and players stated this week that they had been told it would effectively come down to a toss of a coin between the two, should Clare win. Meanwhile, a statement from the WGPA (Women's Gaelic Players Association) has indicated that they are trying to ensure that this does not happen if the situation arises. Tensions are therefore running high ahead of the game, with a lot of pressure on Clare to perform as the Camogie Association has stated that the rules will not be changed regardless of the result this weekend. Indeed, the previews released by the Association have stated that should Clare win “they will finish level in 3^rd place with Dublin on three points, and therefore lots will be drawn to decide which team qualifies to the quarter-finals as both sides would be level on all other qualification criteria.” Similarly, the Camogie Association’s rulebook states that it should be decided on the head-to-head result, however, as the sides finished level on 1-8 apiece when they met this year, the decision effectively comes down to a coin toss. Joan O’Flynn of the Camogie Association reaffirmed this stance at the 2015 Poc Fada launch this week. “The system in place was reissued on October 31^st for consultation and there was no written dissenters from any counties, and certainly not Dublin,” she said, adding that the rules would not be changed. “It applies across all the All-Ireland championships, not just senior. With Clare and Dublin, they obviously finished level – they both scored a goal each and eight points each [when they played each other]." “So the eliminator is to draw lots. At this stage, it’s hypothetical because Derry have to play Clare yet, and if Derry win or draw, Dublin go through on points.” She later added that the matter had been reassessed on Wednesday evening stating: “The November 2014 decision was reaffirmed last night by Ard Comhairle.”   Speaking to RTÉ, Dublin manager Shane O’Brien stated that the players are ‘distraught’ and ‘bitterly disappointed’ to have their championship hopes resting on a 50-50 toss-up. “They have given so much of their time, they have made so many sacrifices,” he said. “We’ve met together as a group over 90 times. It’s hugely disrespectful to the players, to the efforts they’ve made. “They’ve given up their lives for this competition. I think it’s devalued the whole competition at this stage.” Fans and players have called on the Camogie Association for a play-off between the two sides, with many believing it to be the fairest outcome, however, it does not look like this shall be an option. Therefore, Sunday is set to be an extremely tense day all round. Derry meanwhile, are coming into the game on the back of a loss to Dublin last weekend and will be hoping to secure a win to avoid coming last in the group. Looking to other games over the weekend, and on Saturday the focus is on the intermediate championship where Cork face Down and Galway and Meath will go head-to-head. Kilkenny and Waterford will also do battle for glory in a bid to bag a semi-final showdown against Kildare. Moving onto Sunday, it is a crucial time in the Premier Junior championship, with group leaders Laois hoping to overcome Roscommon, Dublin will be aiming to beat Armagh while Westmeath hope to beat Limerick.