DESPERATE times call for desperate measures – that was the reaction from Cork ladies football manager Shane Ronayne after dual star Libby Coppinger played two championship games in two different codes in two different provinces on Saturday.
There was no eleventh-hour intervention on the latest fixture clash that impacted Cork’s four dual players last weekend, and it led to St Colum’s star Coppinger rushing from Páirc Uí Chaoimh to Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening.
This is the reality of life as a dual player in 2023.
It had been decided that Coppinger – along with Aoife Healy – would line out for the Cork camogie team in their must-win game against Down at Cork GAA HQ on Saturday afternoon. The plan was for Hannah Looney and Orlaith Cahalane to travel with the footballers, but Cahalane’s broken foot suffered at football training the Thursday night before ruled her out; this played a part in Coppinger’s decision to make the extra effort and play for both teams in the one day, football boss Ronayne since indicated.
2022 Camogie All-Star Coppinger left home in Kealkill around 12 noon for the 70-km trip to the city. The camogie game started at 3pm and she played the full 60 minutes, Cork winning 3-19 to 1-10.
After a cool down at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Coppinger and Healy hopped into a car – driven by Libby’s mom, Maureen – pointed towards Galway. Libby’s sister Katie and aunt Breda were also in the car. They left Cork around 5pm, shortly after the final whistle, on their 210-km trip to Pearse Stadium in Salthill where the Cork footballers were in championship action against Galway. This game threw in at 7.30pm, and the Coppinger clan with its prized cargo landed at the stadium around 7.45pm, midway through the first half. Coppinger and Healy then changed into their football gear at Pearse Stadium.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Coppinger was introduced for Emma Cleary, and played in her second championship game of the day. It wasn’t enough to prevent Cork falling to a 3-11 to 1-11 defeat.
Her club, St Colum’s, tweeted afterwards: ‘Disappointing that Libby has to work through these scenarios year on year but what stands out is her unwavering commitment to her county and teammates. Doing it all with her usual top-class attitude and a smile on her face.’
A small reprieve for Coppinger, there was no long trip home to West Cork afterwards as the footballers stayed in Galway on Saturday night.
‘Look, desperate times call for desperate measures,’ Shane Ronayne said afterwards, defending the decision to play the West Cork woman.
‘Ideally I wouldn’t have brought her on, especially as early. Libby is old enough to make those decisions herself, and she said she was ready to go on. She made the effort to come up here. We are quite happy with what we did. She is an adult, she is not a young girl, and she made that decision herself as well.’
It was a long day for Coppinger – and Healy – but the option of lining out for both teams won’t be possible on July 1st when there is another clash. The footballers take on Tipperary in Clonakilty at 2pm while the camogie team faces Clare in Cusack Park at 3pm.
