Tipperary senior dual player Orla O’Dwyer feels there’s nothing she can do about the “unfortunate” fixtures clash which sees her line out for both football and camogie teams in Championship action tomorrow.
SCamogie captain O’Dwyer says she is focusing on helping the county to claim a Group 1 win over Kerry in Nenagh at 1pm followed by the Group 2 Championship game against Offaly in The Ragg, outside Thurles, at 5pm.
Sydney-born Cashel club player O’Dwyer cited the national agreement the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Camogie Association have that dual players line out on separate days and her regret it wasn’t followed through on tomorrow.
However, she is keen to focus on the games in hand. “I feel like I’m very lucky to be selected on both panels,” she remarks. “Just to play my best for both of them and once the football is over focus on the camogie and a win is needed for both of them. They’re both equally as important.
"I’m just going to give it my best anyway and not dwell on it too much and not complain about it. I just want to get two wins for Tipperary and that’s the main thing."
O’Dwyer won’t have much time after the footballers’ outing before she makes the 30-minute drive to The Ragg but is relieved both games are in Tipperary.
“I knew playing the two of them that they might overlap the same weekend but I didn’t think they would be the same day. I know it’s probably not fair on my team members but it’s just the way it is and hopefully we get wins. Offaly are second in the table and that’s where we want to be and similarly we need to beat Kerry to avoid relegation for next year.”
The following weekend, O’Dwyer will be out twice once more but with the footballers’ visit to Donegal on Saturday July 21 followed by the camogie team’s trip to Dublin in the capital.
It was also confirmed on Thursday that the All-Ireland senior semi-finals in both codes will clash on Saturday, August 18 due to live television broadcast commitments.
