Dublin Gaelic Games are never far from the headlines and the interest and yesterday at Parnell Park, AIG, the counties long term sponsor across all four codes brought players and media together to tease out a number of the issues that fill the sporting pages at this time of year.
Dean Rock, Niamh Collins and Aisling Maher were joined for the pictures that are spread across all online and mainstream media today, by Eoghan O’Donnell but he had to exit in time to get to Galway for the funeral of Dublin Hurling Manager Mattie Kenny’s mother.
David Fitzgerald of Sportsfile was the photographer charged with cajoling the quartet into shorts and short sleeve shirts to stand in the blowing wind and icy cold of Parnell Park to create the images you see above.
The conversations then were wide-ranging and with nothing off the table as the players did their bit towards the season launch of AIG’s #EffortIsEqual campaign. That will manifest across the season in fresh content referencing back to the fact that it is all four teams that are part of the deal and that any promotion will always include representatives from Men’s Football and Hurling, Ladies Football and Camogie.
The differences that remain between them though are still evident and while Dean Rock was able to talk about preparation, transition and the upcoming game against Mayo in Croke Park, Aisling Maher was railing against the fact that the venue for Dublin Camogie’s first game in the Littlewoods National League on Saturday had yet to have a venue confirmed.
“It’s difficult to drum up support from the fans when you cannot tell them where you will be playing,” she said.
“You want to be encouraging clubs to bring young kids to the games but how can you do that when you can’t tell them on a Tuesday where the game will be.”
The potential of that being eased by a closer merger of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association was fully supported by each of the players in turn, backing up a motion to encourage faster integration being put to the GAA Congress by the Gaelic Players Association in the next two weeks.
Niamh Collins was a spectator from the bench for Dublin’s opening game in the Lidl National League last weekend but said that she was “OK as a watcher,” with “the experience to see the game as it develops and offer help and advice in real-time to those that are out there.”
The Ladies Footballers are back in Croke Park this Saturday against old rivals Cork, as part of a doubleheader with the Men’s team.
Rock was naturally asked his opinion on Dublin’s slow start to the season but refused to be drawn on this being any sort of crisis.
“We know where we are at and what we want to achieve, as well as how we can get there and that’s the most important thing.”
“Yes there is a transition but that happens with any team. We have 14 new players on the panel this year and every one of them is gaining experience.”
“I’m still as motivated and excited to get to the training and do what I can to help them and help the team.”
* Dublin’s opening match against Galway in the Littlewoods Camogie National league has been set now for Round Towers GAA Club in Clondalkin.
