Camogie President Aileen Lawlor has said that new playing rules and the addition of quarter-final rounds will significantly enhance the excitement and quality of this year’s camogie championship.Speaking at this morning’s launch in association with RTÉ Sport at Croke Park, she highlighted the importance of the new rules:
“There are a number of playing rules that come into force including the reward of two points when a player puts the sliothar over the bar direct from a sideline cut. This is one of the more difficult skills of the game and the new rule rewards the players who can achieve it. It also ensures that coaches and players place an emphasis on perfecting this particular skill, rewarding teams with a bonus point, and adding enormously to the game for players and fans alike.
We are also focusing on ensuring that discipline remains a key priority for players and management during this year’s championship. The rules help to ensure that sporting conduct is to the fore in camogie at all times.”
In her first year as President of the Camogie Association, Aileen Lawlor, highlighted the addition of quarter-finals to this year’s senior grade as an excellent development.
“The round-robin format is still in play but we have introduced seeding in the two senior groups, with the top two teams through to the semi-finals and the remaining runners up playing in a series of qualifiers and quarter-finals before drawing to play in the semi-final stages on August 18th.”
The Camogie President was joined by players including Karen Atkinson of defending champions Wexford; Julia White (Cork); Susan Vaughan (Clare); Joanne Ryan (Tipperary); Lorraine Ryan (Galway); Elaine Dermody (Offaly); Elaine O’Meara (Dublin) and Catherine Doherty (Kilkenny) at the Etihad Skyline in Croke Park.
Paul Byrnes Executive Editor of The Sunday Game, RTÉ said:
“RTÉ Sport are delighted to continue our association with one of Ireland’s leading female sports organisations and we are looking forward to broadcasting our national game across an array of platforms including radio, TV and online.”
This year’s championship will feature extensively across RTÉ Sport with live updates from selected venues each Saturday on RTÉ Radio 1 Saturday Sport and highlights coverage each week on RTÉ’s The Sunday Game.
The All Ireland Senior & Intermediate Finals will be broadcast live on RTÉ The Sunday Game and on RTÉ Radio 1 while this year’s semi-finals will be broadcast live on RTÉ.ie.
Wexford are the current All Ireland champions and are bidding for three-in-a-row All Ireland titles.
This year’s senior championship throws in on Saturday June 23rd. Dublin play Kilkenny at O’ Toole Park, Crumlin at 1:00pm; Clare face Cork in Newmarket on Fergus at 1:30pm; Offaly take on Galway in Banagher at 2:30pm and Tipperary take on Wexford at The Ragg at 3:15pm.
Click on the link to view Aileen Lawlor and captains on the Etihad Skyline and more videos:
Reaching for the sky at Championship 2012 launch
Clare v Cork Preview All Ireland Camogie Championship in association with RTE Sport Round One
Notes to the Editor:
o Pictured at this morning’s championship launch at the Etihad Skyline, Croke Park: President of the Camogie Association Aileen Lawlor; Karen Atkinson (Wexford), Julia White (Cork), Catherine Doherty (Kilkenny), Lorraine Ryan (Galway), Joanne Ryan (Tipperary), Susan Vaughan (Clare), Elaine Dermody (Offaly), Elaine O’Meara (Dublin).
Photographs from this afternoon’s launch are available from Sportsfile at www.sportsfile.com
Photographs from this afternoon’s launch are available from Sportsfile at www.sportsfile.com
o The All Ireland Camogie Championships in association with RTÉ Sport throws in on Saturday June 23rd. For full details on all fixtures go to www.camogie.ie
o Ticket prices for each round of the All Ireland Camogie Championships in association with RTÉ Sport are as follows: Adults @ €10; Student & OAP @€5; U16 go free.
o To keep up to date with all of the action go to www.camogie.ie and follow us on Facebook.com/CamogieAssociation and Camogie1 on twitter.com
Pictured at this afternoon’s launch at the Etihad Skyline: (l-r) Susan Vaughan (Clare), Julia White (Cork), Lorraine Ryan (Galway), Elaine Dermody (Offaly), Aileen Lawlor, President of the Camogie Association, Joanne Ryan (Tipperary), Elaine O’Meara (Dublin), Catherine Doherty (Kilkenny), Karen Atkinson (Wexford).
