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O'Connor: Poor planning and pitch conditions 'doesn't do camogie any justice'

O'Connor: Poor planning and pitch conditions 'doesn't do camogie any justice'

Cork's Amy O'Connor has called out the unfair treatment of camogie players and says that the planning of Championship fixtures have been a "disaster".

O'Connor's criticism follows the rescheduling of her team's championship clash against Waterford last week which was changed from Saturday to Sunday with just five days' notice given to teams.

The Waterford camogie team released a statement ahead of the game to say that the short notice was disrespectful of the players and their efforts in training for the championship.

Additionally, the panel cited other issues including lack of adequate medical support which resulted in the abandonment of a championship game.

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Speaking to RTÉ Sport today, O'Connor agreed with the deficiencies pointed out by the Waterford team.

O'Connor said that the Rebels recent trip to Dublin was a planning "disaster".

"We were told it was in Dublin at the weekend and that was it," she said.

"You can't plan anything, we were waiting until the Thursday morning before a Saturday game to find out we're playing.

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Thursday morning? It's not good enough. I thought that was wrong and I don't think a senior men's team would have to put up with that.

O'Connor said that the poor planning and late notice of fixtures not only affects their game but their lives.

"We're inter-county players but we have lives as well. It's very unfair."

The late change to the Cork-Waterford match saw Déise star midfielder Patricia Jackman unable to play.

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Jackman, who commutes from England to play for her county, had taken leave from her job and booked her flight to return to the UK on Sunday morning.

Cork had a comprehensive win over the Dubs earlier this month but O'Connor said that the pitch conditions at Parnell's GAA club did nothing to help.

It was full of daisies and did the game no favours. It was shown on The Sunday Game and people could see the pitch, and that doesn't do camogie any justice.

Ahead of the group stage clash between Dublin and Cork earlier this month, Laura Twomey had called for Parnell Park to be made the home of camogie in the capital.

Parnell Park serves as the home to Dublin hurling and Twomey argued that it should be the home of Dublin camogie as well.

"There is no reason why female teams should be playing on the lesser pitches," Twomey said.

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