Ireland manager slams skort rule after final postponement

May 12, 2025

Ireland manager Carla Ward has slammed the skort controversy as “absolutely ridiculous” and questioned whether leadership figures at the Camogie Association should leave.

The skort versus short debate hit a new low at the weekend when Cork’s Munster final against Waterford was postponed.

Their protest came after Kilkenny and Dublin players emerged for their Leinster Championship semi-final wearing shorts but were forced to change. Both Cork and Waterford made no secret of their plans to wear shorts in the week leading up to the final.

Skorts are considered uncomfortable, and camogie players have been vocal in their hopes of changing the rule. It’s a regulation that has left Ward baffled.

The English-based coach said: “It is absolutely ludicrous. Some of the staff shared it when it first happened, and I did say: ‘Is this some sort of joke?’

“It is mental to be even having these sort of conversations in 2025. It is an old mentality, isn’t it? There are still some countries who have an old mentality towards women. It is crazy.

“We are getting there in a lot of places but, I’ll be honest with you, it did blow my mind that anyone in this country could have the mindset that women couldn’t wear shorts.

“What does that say about the people at the top? Should they really be there or should they move on, and pass the baton to a different generation?

“Ireland is a big sporting country so it is just unbelievable. It is very outdated.”

The Camogie Association called a Special Congress to vote on May 22, and if passed, players will then have the option of wearing skorts or shorts from May 24.

However, the weekend postponement cast further embarrassment over the association’s archaic values. Cork and Waterford released a strongly worded joint statement claiming they felt completely let down.

It read: “As a united group of players, we want to express our bitter disappointment that today’s Munster Senior Camogie Final has been postponed.

“It shows scant regard for the preparation of players both physically and mentally to be ready for a provincial showpiece, to make this decision just 16 hours before the scheduled throw-in.

“Anyone with an understanding of what it takes to compete in elite sport knows that this could never be in the best interests of players. We feel completely let down.

“Both panels had meticulously planned to peak for today. Training schedules and workload will now have to be readjusted, while not even knowing when the game will take place.

“There was an opportunity to take a step forward from the recent controversy. Instead, a provincial final has been postponed because we took control of what we would wear. To us, that feels like a massive step backwards.”