Antrim opted to focus on final ahead of skorts vote says McArthur

By Michael McMullan

THE Antrim senior camogie team voted to wear skorts before Sunday’s Ulster final in over Derry.

While having an appreciation of camogie teams’ right to protest, the Saffron camp felt it would’ve taken away from the occasion.

It comes after the controversy surrounding the wearing skorts or shorts in recent weeks.

Dublin and Kilkenny took the field wearing shorts but were told their game wouldn’t take place until they changed into skorts, which they did.

In Munster, Cork and Waterford’s meeting was postponed after both counties insisted they would be wearing shorts.

The Derry squad released a statement, on the eve of Sunday’s Ulster showdown, saying half their team would be wearing shorts with the rest wearing shorts.

Before the game, on instruction of match officials, all Derry players in shorts changed into skorts before commencement of the game.

Antrim had taken a vote at their final training session before the final. Shorts in protest or to stay with skorts.

“The overall outcome of that was we thought that the skort/short issue was taking away from the event of the Ulster final,” said Antrim player Cassie McArthur of their decision.

“We understand and completely support the reason behind it. It is to promote players’ voices and we completely understand and get behind that.

“We felt on the day the Ulster final was more important than making a stance against the skort short issue.”

It is expected a resolution to the dispute will be found at next Thursday’s Special Congress at which delegates will vote on a motion to allow players the choice of wearing shorts or skorts.