ARMAGH LGFA chairperson Sinead Reel says integration between the various GAA strands remains a “long way away” after the Armagh County Board failed to give the ladies’ county finals a weekend slot at the Box-IT Athletic Grounds.
Reel has been frustrated and disappointed by what she views as the Armagh County Board’s decision to give precedence to men’s junior football and hurling semi-finals over the biggest games in the ladies’ club calendar.
Since no satisfactory accommodation was reached, the three ladies’ football finals will now be played at the Silverbridge Harps’ grounds on Sunday, September 24.
Clann Eireann seconds meet Pearse Og in the junior final, Clan na Gael play Derrynoose in the intermediate final and the senior final – featuring a host of county stars - is a rematch of last year’s decider between Clann Eireann and Carrickcruppen
That 2023 final was played at the Athletic Grounds and Reel had expected this year’s would also take place at the home of Gaelic Games in the Orchard County.
However, she was informed by the county board that the Cathedral City venue was unavailable that weekend because of a junior football semi-final double bill on the Saturday and the senior and junior hurling finals on the Sunday.
The LGFA were informed that the following weekends were also booked out and were offered one final at the Athletic Grounds on the Friday night with the possibility of a double-header for the other two on a Wednesday or Thursday evening the following week.
Reel claimed that there was no “logic” to the Armagh County Board’s proposed arrangement.
“Junior men’s semi-finals are taking priority over senior and intermediate county finals,” she claimed.
“Grant funding for the Athletic Grounds was received from Sport NI for major works under the auspices of providing for female sport. Firing us into a mid-week slot is not providing anything.
“We have players and management who are all working. This is a voluntary organisation and sport so how are we going to ask club’s to play mid-week county finals, regardless of their code – ladies’ football, men’s football, hurling etc?
“It would mean players and coaches having to take time off work and play late at night with work the next day.”
There are 5,000 registered LGFA members in Armagh and experienced official Reel had suggested an alternative arrangement that the junior men’s semi-finals be played on the Thursday and Friday evenings to allow the LGFA finals to be played on the Saturday (September 29) with the hurling fixtures going ahead on the Sunday as planned.
“We are moving backwards instead of forwards in the pipe dream of integration with this particular situation, especially when there is a practical solution,” she added.
With no agreement forthcoming, Armagh LGFA took the decision to accept an offer from the Silverbridge club which will host the finals at their grounds.
Last season the Armagh Ladies won the National Football League Division One title for the first time in the county’s history. Even without the scores of prolific forward Aimee Mackin, they went on to win the Ulster Championship after victory over Donegal.
Following that win, Armagh beat Mayo to reach the All-Ireland senior championship semi-finals but bowed out against eventual champions Kerry.