DUBLIN CAMOGIE PLAYER Leah Butler has backed the Camogie Association\u2019s decision to opt for a split season after their initial schedule drew strong criticism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The threat of strike action prompted the organisation into a rethink and following a nationwide poll of clubs, a small majority backed a demarcation between the club and county seasons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
53% of clubs voted in favour of the split season, with 47% voting for the initial model which would have seen the National League and All-Ireland championship take place either side of club championships.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dublin midfielder Butler admitted she was surprised the saga dragged on for so long.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe GAA announced quite a while ago now that they were going with the split season, so to get the structure that we got, I was kind of surprised,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m happy now that they back-tracked and the decision got changed because I think it suits inter-county players to have the split season, to have a defined county season and a defined club season.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs well, a lot of players play dual, they play football for their club as well as camogie. So they wouldn\u2019t have been able to play their games in the opposite code, if they were playing championship with county and club championship [at the same time].<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has worked out in the end. And I\u2019m just delighted the Camogie Association listened to the players\u2019 voice. I think a lot of people are happy now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a little bit surprised [the vote] was close, but a win is a win for Option 2 with the split season.\u201d<\/p>\n
A GPA poll of the camogie inter-county playing body saw 82% vote in favour of a split season, which led to the Camogie Association reviewing their initial decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Camogie Association, they were considering all players, not just inter-county players,\u201d said Butler. \u201cObviously there\u2019s tens of thousands more club players than there is inter-county players.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s where their decision came from. But it was surprising their decision was different to the three other codes. That\u2019s just the way it went. But I\u2019m glad it\u2019s reversed now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cork camogie side indicated they were prepared to strike for the opening round of the league this weekend if the issues around structure were not resolved.<\/p>\n
Asked if her team came close to announcing strike action, she said: \u201cNot for us in the Dublin team anyway. I know Cork were talking a lot about it. I think if we had to go there, we would have.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it would have been a huge group decision, between maybe the inter-county managers would have come together, or the player reps or whoever. I don\u2019t think that one county might have striked\u00a0on their own, but if it would have happened, it would have been a full inter-county decision.\u201d<\/p>\n