TIPPERARY CLUB THURLES Sarsfields have outlined how “extremely unfair” it is that their ladies football and camogie teams are facing into two huge championship matches in four hours this Sunday.

With eight dual players affected, the camogie side face Kilruane McDonaghs in the intermediate championship semi-final at 2pm, while the footballers are contesting their intermediate final at 6pm.

In a lengthy statement on Twitter yesterday, the ladies football section of the club explained that despite efforts, “the situation has been deemed unavoidable and the fixture stands.”

While voicing their unhappiness, the club reluctantly accept the situation at hand and will fulfill both fixtures.

“We feel as a club that this is extremely unfair on the players involved and their teammates and coaches, with both teams having put in an immeasurable amount of work to get to this stage of their competitions,” the statement continued.

“Playing two games the same weekend would be unheard of for our male counterparts, despite the greater number of teams and dual players, never mind two games in the space of four hours.

(1/7)This week many of our players begin the arduous task of preparing for two massive games. On Sun Sept 29th, 8 of our football players are part of @ThurlesSarsfie1 Camogie team who play Kilruane McDonaghs in the Intermediate camogie county semi at 2pm. Then, unbelievablely,

— Thurles Sarsfield's Ladies Football (@sars_ladiesFB) September 23, 2019

“Unfortunately clashes of this nature are nothing new to camogie and ladies football players, not alone in Tipp but across the country at all age groups. By highlighting this issue, we hope that both boards can come together at all levels to work on protecting the efforts of all our players in the future.

Naturally we will not concede a county final, nor will we use these events as an excuse, win, lose or draw. Instead, accepting the situation as is, this will be our club’s last word on the matter as we get ready to do all we can to prepare for the weekend ahead.

The camogie section of the club added: “Thurles Sarsfields are proud of the achievements of their ladies over the last decade.

“There had been massive support for the girls in both codes, a massive effort has been made for 20×20 within the whole club but today we face into the reality of women in sport.”

This news comes after Cuala were forced to concede their crucial Dublin fourth-round senior championship camogie clash “‘in the interests of the welfare of our female dual players” on Sunday.

❌ Club statement on why we've had to concede our @WeAreDub @CamogieDublin Championship match. ❌
Thread. 1 pic.twitter.com/hxA624Ei89

— Cuala GAA (@CualaCLG) September 21, 2019

The southside club, who field nine dual players, noted in a statement on Saturday night that they were “disappointed, disheartened and deelpy frustrated to have been put in an impossible situation” with the footballers lining out in the Dublin intermediate football championship final that same day. 

The camogie match against Naomh Mearnog was fixed for 10am, with the football decider meeting with Clanna Gael at 6pm in Fingallians. 

After a 2-7 to 1-8 titanic battle at the Swords Venue, Cuala’s footballers were beaten.

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The Thurles Sarsfields Ladies Football club’s statement in full:

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“This week many of our players begin the arduous task of preparing for two massive games. On Sun Sept 29th, eight of our football players are part of Thurles Sarsfields camogie team who play Kilruane McDonaghs in the intermediate camogie county semi at 2pm.

“Then, unbelievably, they must tog out for the county intermediate football final vs Templemore in Templetuohy which throws in at 6pm. Our football game was originally fixed for 3pm but the only accommodation the county board could make was to move the game to 6pm instead.

“Despite both county boards highlighting the plight of the dual players at inter-county level, most recently where Tipp dual star Orla O’Dwyer had to choose between camogie and football All-Ireland semi-finals, the situation has been deemed unavoidable and the fixture stands.

“We feel as a club that this is extremely unfair on the players involved and their teammates and coaches, with both teams having put in an immeasurable amount of work to get to this stage of their competitions.

“Some Templemore players will also play camogie Saturday which will affect their preparation too. Playing two games the same weekend would be unheard of for our male counterparts, despite the greater number of teams and dual players, never mind two games in the space of 4 hours.

“Unfortunately clashes of this nature are nothing new to camogie and ladies football players, not alone in Tipp but across the country at all age groups. By highlighting this issue, we hope that both boards can come together at all levels to work on protecting the efforts of all our players in the future.

“Naturally we will not concede a county final, nor will we use these events as an excuse, win, lose or draw. Instead, accepting the situation as is, this will be our club’s last word on the matter as we get ready to do all we can to prepare for the weekend ahead.”

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