Equality on the radar for female Gaelic players
There was a major boost for women who play Gaelic games this week with the announcement that female players will receive the same amount of funding as their male counterparts.
The matter was confirmed by Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers who addressed the anomaly that male players receive €1,200 from the State while female players receive just €400 annually.
A total of €3.7m was paid out by the Government to support Gaelic games players last year with €3,000,000 for male players and teams and €700,000 for female players and teams.
The allocation for females will now be trebled while the male amount will remain the same.
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association welcomed the announcement.
"We welcome the increase in funding grants for our inter-county teams, confirmed by Minister for Sport Jack Chambers on RTÉ Radio on Monday," stated the spokesperson.
"The extra funding announced will prove most beneficial for our teams and players, who are currently preparing for the commencement of the 2021 Lidl National Leagues, which will be followed by the TG4 All-Ireland Championships.
"Our players brought so much joy to supporters of our game watching on at home and from around the world during the 2020 Championship season – and we’re looking forward to them providing many more great memories during the weeks and months ahead.
"Together with the Camogie Association and WGPA, we have submitted proposals for players expenses as part of the Inter-county Government Grant Scheme over the past number of years, and we are delighted to see this come to fruition.
"We would like to thank the Government officials and Sport Ireland for their engagement in relation to these grants.
"We also wish to thank members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht for accommodating an address and feedback from our CEO, Helen O’Rourke last month.
"We are pleased that key recommendations from reports, which we contribute to, will be acted upon, including the allocation of player expenses as part of the Inter-county Government Grant scheme," the spokesperson concluded.
CAMOGIE
Meath Camogie Board has confirmed the venue for the opening round of the National Camogie League Div 2 game between Meath and Kildare this weekend.
The game will be played at Dunganny on Saturday at 2pm and will be the first outing of 2021 for the Meath players who will also face Dublin and Westmeath in a four-team group.
The Meath panel for the game is - Aedin Slattery (Na Fianna), Aine Cooke (Ratoath), Aine McNerney (Ratoath), Amy Farrelly (Clann Na nGael), Amy Gaffney (Ratoath), Aoife Minogue (Dunderry), Caoimhe Slattery (Na Fianna), Carrie Doyle (Kilmessan), Claire Coffey (Na Fianna), Eimear Fagan (Na Fianna), Ellen Burke (Dunboyne), Grace Coleman (Killyon), Jane Dolan (Blackhall Gaels), Jessica Potterton (Kildalkey), Kate Smyth (Clann Na nGael), Katie Smith (Kildalkey), Kristina Troy (Blackhall Gaels), Leah Devine (Na Fianna), Louise Donoghue (Kiltale), Maeve Clince (Dunboyne), Maggie Randle (Donaghmore Ashbourne), Megan Thynne (Kilmessan), Nadine Doyle (Kilmessan), Sinead Hackett (Dunboyne), Sophia Payne (Na Fianna), Sophie Healy Na Fianna), Tracy King (Kilmessan).
DIV 2 FIXTURE DETAILS
SATURDAY 15th MAY
Group 1 - Antrim v Down.
Group 2 - Tipperary v Cork, Kerry v Galway.
Group 3 - Wexford v Kilkenny.
Group 4 - Dublin v Westmeath, Meath v Kildare.
SATURDAY 22nd MAY
Group 1 - Down v Derry.
Group 2 - Galway v Tipperary, Cork v Kerry.
Group 3 - Kilkenny v Laois.
Group 4 - Kildare v Dublin, Westmeath v Meath.
SATURDAY 29th MAY
Group 1 - Derry v Antrim.
Group 2 - Galway v Cork, Tipperary v Kerry
Group 3 - Laois v Wexford.
Group 4 - Kildare v Westmeath, Dublin v Meath.
FOOTBALL
The 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Championships will start in July following the conclusion of the 2021 National League competitions.
Meath will be in action in the senior football championship this year after last year's All-Ireland IFC final victory against Westmeath.
The LGFA’s Management Committee met last week to plan fixtures and the decision was taken to commence the TG4 All-Ireland Championships on the weekend of Saturday 10th / Sunday 11th July with the All-Ireland on Sunday 5th September.
The draws for the All-Ireland Championships will be conducted this month with the 2020 semi-finalists seeded, as they were for last year’s championship.
Counties can commence their club championships when they are knocked out of the All-Ireland series.
It was also decided by the LGFA’s management committee that the provincial championships will not form part of the All-Ireland inter-county series for 2021.
Provincial championships can be run later in the year, however, if provinces see an opportunity to do so.
Match-day player expenses will be paid at 30 cents per mile for the travelling teams during the 2021 Lidl National Leagues.
FIRST UP
MEATH NFL FIXTURES
SUNDAY 23RD MAY
Div 2A - Meath v Kerry
SUNDAY 30th MAY
Div 2A - Wexford v Meath.
SUNDAY 6th / MONDAY 7th JUNE
Div 2A - Meath v Clare