Nine members of Cork's Intermediate Camogie squad have been deemed ineligible for the 2016 season by the Camogie Association for not using a pen while filling out an application form to be regraded to Intermediate level.
Camogie rules state that any players seeking to change from lining out for the senior team in favour of playing with that county's intermediate must apply to the Association to have the regrading officially approved.
In Cork, 11 players who had not played a minute with the senior panel in 2015 applied for this regrading last month. The application was submitted to the Cork secretary and subsequently sent on to Croke Park for approval.
Remarkably, some of these applications have been rejected on the grounds that 9 of the players involved typed their name on the document, rather than writing it with a pen.
A letter to the Cork County Board explained the reason why these players did not receive approval to drop down to Intermediate level:
Ard Chomhairle did not grant your request as it was noted that your form was not personally signed by you as required.
Chair of the Cork Camogie Board, Mary McSweeney told the Irish Examiner that she is staggered by the decision, as players who typed their name last year had their regrading approved:
We are not accepting this. These girls are Cork camogie. They want their voices heard. We will continue to fight this.
The girls are extremely frustrated. They filled out the form the same as they did 12 months ago and, yet, are being told they cannot play for their county and, unless they see game-time with the seniors, they face a year on the sideline with Cork.
As a result of the regrading not being approved, Cork's Intermediate side have been forced to concede their League game against Antrim this weekend.
In response to this bizarre ruling, the Camogie Association told the Irish Examiner that "The rule is clear as to the process for applying for regrading and this rule has been in place for several years".
The Association has also said that the decision cannot be appealed.
[Irish Examiner]
