Mayo sharp shooter Cora Staunton, revealed that she would like to one day see the Ladies All-Ireland football final, precede the men's in Croke Park.
Tradition dictates that the men's and women's football finals are played on separate dates, with the Ladies final taking place one week after the men's. But the 2015 All-Star recipient believes, that the potential is there to stage the games on the same day.
Cora Staunton scores 2-10 https://t.co/07aOGadNOl
— LaobhaoiseNiEanachan (@LaobhaoiseNihE) November 15, 2015
Speaking to the Irish Times, Staunton said that implementing such a move could be vital for promoting Ladies GAA:
'I would love to sometime see the day when an All-Ireland women’s final is played before the men’s. And I can understand; yeah, a lot of people aren’t going to want to go to a certain standard of match. But a lot of the senior games now are quite good. It is more of an expansive open game. If more people even happened to see our game before one of the men’s games, they might actually look at it and think: Jeez, this is not bad. And maybe then they would show up half an hour earlier for the next game. What can be done to change it? I dunno.”
Occasions where women's and men's matches are paired together, is something that is in sparse supply in the GAA. And while Staunton's vision seems achievable, it's a project that has produced controversial outcomes in the past.
This year's Women's FAI Cup final between Wexford Youths and Shelbourne was the curtain raiser for the men's final between Cork City and Dundalk. The women's game went to a penalty shoot-out which was marred by players from the Cork City men's team, who entered the pitch during the shoot-out to commence their warm-up.
The intrusion sparked outrage on social media and resurrected arguments about gender equality in sport.
Teams had less time and space to warm-up on the pitch before FAI cup final due to scheduling. That should never be allowed occur again.
— Richie Sadlier (@RichieSadlier) November 8, 2015
Am I asking too much for the women's teams to come out and do a warm down if this goes to penalties? #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld
— Aaron Henry (@aaronhenry5) November 8, 2015
Just watched the end of the women's #FAIFordCupFinal. Penalties being taken and the #CorkMen come on to the pitch to warm up. #Disgrace
— MISSChanandlerBong (@JennyHanlon1) November 8, 2015
Let's hope these unsavoury scenes are not repeated if Staunton's dream is realised.
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