THIS YEAR’S Gala All-Ireland championship will be the highest profile yet according to new camogie association president Joan O’Flynn.
For the first time, most of this year’s games will be played at county grounds, which it is envisaged will help increase standards and attendances.
It also means television coverage can be facilitated more easily. RTÉ has committed to showing highlights of one game from every round in the group stages and will put up webcasts on www.rte.ie, while another first will be an award handed out at the end of the year for the best performance of the season.
The Gala Performance Award will be presented as a result of the public’s votes through www.gala.ie and www.camogie.ie, with the winner getting a special custom-made gong and a five-star luxury weekend away.
For O’Flynn it is all about building on the progress that has been made in recent years. “It is great to secure the county grounds for the first time as a platform for showcasing the game,” she said at yesterday’s launch in Croke Park.
Splitting up the senior championship into two groups of four, with each team only playing each other once, will help peak interest said O’Flynn.
The championship gets under way on Saturday week with defending champions Cork taking on Dublin at Páirc Uí Rinn, while league winners Wexford travel to Limerick.
