THE sooner that the integration of the LGFA and Camogie Associations with the GAA takes place the better. As a female player and coach over the past 10 years, I have heard of numerous occasions where camogs and ladies footballers have had to choose between a camogie championship game and football championship game just because they […]
CATHERINE McGOURTY: The usual suspects
IT’S that time of year again when we begin to see county finals take place across the country. Around the Ulster scene so far we have seen Crosserlough crowned champions of Cavan, Granemore are top dogs in Armagh and Loughgiel declared Antrim champions. Eglish will also represent Tyrone in Ulster while Sleacht Néill aim to […]
CATHERINE McGOURTY: Rising standards – Ulster camogie is breaking new ground
I HAVE been very privileged over the past five years to be involved in what I believe is the rising standards of camogie in Ulster. We currently see both Antrim and Down playing at senior inter-country level with Derry narrowly beaten in the Intermediate semi-final. Then in the Junior final, we saw Armagh battle it […]
CATHERINE MCGOURTY: The advantages of playing at home
1930 – Uruguay, 1934 – Italy, 1966 – England, 1974 – West Germany, 1978 – Argentina, 1998 – France. I think anyone reading this piece that is interested in sport will recognise that the years identified are World Cup years and the winners from the competition in that year. What I also find interesting is […]
Catherine McGourty asks why there aren’t more female inter-county managers
I BEGAN my camogie career playing with Down in 1999. As a 15 year-old, I was absolutely delighted to get that phone call from the then manager Bernie McNally and jumped at the opportunity to play with players like Mairin McAleenan, Deirdre Savage, Pauline Green and Jennifer Branniff to name but a few. For those […]
CATHERINE McGOURTY: Schools lay the platform for success
THE thought of September 1 is often filled with dread by the school teacher, and many people probably think here we go again with teachers complaining after having two full months off in the summer. However, we are not averse to work, instead I truly believe we merely feel the pressure of ensuring that we […]