Michelle Quilty calls for more support from women for camogie

Michael Bolton

Former Kilkenny camogie player Michelle Quilty says women must do more to support Camogie and attend games.

As the season is now at the provincial championship stage, attendance has not been what was hoped across the season.

Meanwhile, sports like women's rugby and soccer have seen a rise in attendance on the international stage, with the Irish women's rugby team breaking their attendance record in Galway last weekend.

Speaking to Breakingnews, Quilty says the sport has to do more to get more families to games.

"I think in relation to camogie, the women really need to stand up and go to the matches and really put in the support behind them.

"A lot of people go and bring the family with them, but you really need to target the whole family affair and make it a family day out.

"The more popular the sport grows, even at club level, at this stage, the clubs are driving it. The more impact you can have at the club level, you can bring it forward to the county scene.

"You look at women's soccer where that has come from, but that is because the popularity of the sport has grown.

"There is a lot more kids in the game, so they want to go and shout on their heroes. For camogie, it has to start from the ground up and really build a profile around it."

A big story of the season so far is the new rules, which have brought extra physicality to the game.

One rule continuing to divide opinion is the sideline puck, with players now able to take it from their hand when inside 20 yards from the goal.

As a forward, Quilty feels it takes away from the competition and skill of the puck.

"That is going to be a funny one to get your head around.

"As a forward, you want that sideline ball to be stuck in the corner so you have a chance to turn it over and score.

"It will be one to watch for the championship to see what the reaction is like to it, and how the players react to it.

"It is a different set-up now. You have a ball on the 20-yard line, it is now going to be pucked back to midfield and up to the other half. If it was a normal sideline, you really had the chance to turn it over.

"When they went free out of the hand, that was something, but they might have went a little step too far with the sideline. It is a skill of the game, you don't want to be getting rid of the skill.

"You don't want to change it too much, especially if it is working. I just think this is one they didn't need to change."

An All-Ireland winner with her county, the days of preparing for championship camogie are now over.

Mother of two children and working full-time, coaching under-sevens is the biggest sporting pressure for Quilty right now.

All-Irelands are always in demand for Kilkenny in hurling and camogie, as she said the players in both codes get used to the pressure in the county.

"In Kilkenny, there is always pressure to bring home All-Irelands, whatever code you are playing.

"This year, especially with the results the girls had in the league, there are a good few young girls who have come through that have done well in the team.

"I do think the championship will be a good stay for them."