McCarthy hits out at timing of Camogie All-Star tour

CAMOGIE All-Star Saoirse McCarthy has hit out at the timing of the 2023 PwC Camogie All-Star tour to Canada in May.

The Courcey Rovers ace (pictured) has described the scheduling of the trip as ‘wrong’ and ‘extremely disappointing’ as it comes just before the start of Cork’s championship campaign.

The Irish Examiner revealed that the seven Cork All-Stars, who would have been on the flight to Canada, will boycott the All-Star tour – to be held in Calgary, Alberta from May 19th-25th.

‘The timing of this trip is wrong,’ Saoirse McCarthy said.

‘The most important part of the season is preparing for our Munster and All-Ireland campaigns.

‘Hope common sense prevails and we get an opportunity to celebrate.

‘We wouldn't have All-Stars without our teammates!’

McCarthy’s Cork team-mate, All-Star defender Laura Treacy added that the trip was ‘a decision made without consulting players or the GPA.’

With the All-Ireland camogie championship expected to start in early June, players taking part in the All-Star tour land home on May 25th, so will miss vital preparations ahead of the championship. Cork manager Matthew Twomey described the scheduling as ‘farcical’ and ‘embarrassing’.

Cork All-Star Ashling Thompson has also noted that the Munster camogie championship takes place at the end of May so the All-Star tour cuts across it.

‘Very disappointing to be missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. We feel extremely let down by our own association. How can we leave our teammates in the middle of championship preparation when we wouldn’t have an All-Star without them?,’ Cork All-Star Laura Hayes said. 

St Colum’s dual player Libby Coppinger won her first Camogie All-Star in 2022, alongside team-mates Saoirse McCarthy, Ashling Thompson and Katriona Mackey. In 2021 Laura Treacy, Laura Hayes and Hannah Looney all won Camogie All-Stars.