GALWAY CAMOGIE CAPTAIN Sarah Dervan, and Cork Ladies star Erika O\u2019Shea have expressed their support for a motion going before GAA Congress regarding a merger of the GAA, LGFA and the Camogie Association.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The motion has been submitted by the GPA, and requests that the GAA \u201cprioritise integration with the LGFA and Camogie Association in order to jointly ensure equal investment, recognition and opportunity for all genders to play all sports in the Gaelic Games family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Dervan and O\u2019Shea hope that the motion is approved at Congress on 26 February, and that all players belong to the one GAA unit going forward.<\/p>\n
Dervan captained Galway to their second senior All-Ireland camogie title in three years last September after a tense battle with Cork. But despite their success, Cathal Murray\u2019s side are still hampered by inequalities.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, we are in the middle of it,\u201d the Mullagh defender begins. \u201cTonight we\u2019re training on astroturf because we can\u2019t get any pitch facilities with lights. So it is a real struggle for us. We\u2019ve trained on astro an awful lot this year so far and we\u2019re thankful of getting it, but it\u2019s not ideal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re playing Dublin on Saturday so it\u2019s not ideal preparation for the first round of the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are curtailed a lot with what you can do on astroturf. You can do a bit of ball work, the speed work. You wouldn\u2019t really do much of your fitness on that because if you\u2019re a bit of an older one like myself, it does take it\u2019s toll on you but unfortunately it is the way it is. Hopefully this merger will happen sooner rather than later and all parties will be under the one umbrella.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be massive for the Ladies Football and Camogie Association to be interlinked with the GAA. It\u2019ll be a huge positive.\u201d<\/p>\n