Offaly's Mairéad Teehan says there is no guarantee skorts issue will be resolved

Michael Bolton

Offaly camogie player Mairéad Teehan warns there is no guarantee the vote for players to have the choice to wear shorts instead of skorts will be passed at congress.

The issue has dominated the sport since the Leinster semi-final between Dublin and Kilkenny, when both sets of players walked on to the pitch wearing shorts instead of skorts as part of a protest.

Both sets of players were made to go back into the changing room and put on skorts, or else the game would not have gone ahead.

A week later, Cork and Waterford had both agreed to wear shorts in protest, but the Munster final was called off the night before the game was set to take place.

A GPA survey indicated 70 per cent of players had experienced discomfort wearing skorts, and 83 per cent wanted the option to wear shorts.

However, at last year's Congress in Waterford, two motions were tabled proposing the inclusion of shorts as part of the playing uniform, both of which were defeated.

As a result of the dispute, a special congress has been organised for May 22nd, where it is widely expected the motion to have the option to wear shorts will be passed.

However, speaking as she was named the Camogie player of the month for April, Teehan is not holding her breath the motion will pass.

"They are after calling for the special congress, which is great, but that is not a guarantee that it will be changed.

"It's the same delegates that are going to this Congress to vote.

"We can make noise about it now and in fairness to the media, it's been widely shared. But we still don't have any real power in terms of changing that, if the delegates don't actually listen and vote to allow that choice for us.

"I will be hopeful that it will go our way, but I know when you don't have that voice to be heard, you are relying on county boards to survey their clubs, talk to their players and say what do you want? And then for the delegates to take that to the camogie board. But you just hope that the delegates would listen to what is going on around the country."

Teehan expressed her disappointment in the Munster final being called off due to the players wearing shorts, and says it could have been a moment to show the players are being listened to.

She also praised the Offaly minor team, who warmed up in shorts.

"I was disappointed it was postponed, it would have been a great way for the Camogie Association to be say we are listening to the players and we want it to go ahead.

"Even let the match go ahead and fine the teams a euro for wearing the shorts. If they have to follow their own rules, fair enough, but there could have been a way that the match went ahead.

"I don't know when the game is going to be played again. It is very difficult on Waterford and Cork. You are preparing for a game, you are doing everything right, and it is just pulled from you on short notice."

After Offaly won Division 2A in April and the championship on the horizon, there are plenty of talking points in the next two weeks.

While Teehan appreciates the attention the skorts debate has received, she admits the issue is drawing focus away from the games.

"It is great to get the attention on this issue because it has been an issue for players for quite a while, so it is great to get that attention.

"It does detract massively from the actual games. The championships is starting on the 24th of this month, we should be talking about the great matches and hopefully great championship we will have but it is overshadowed by this."