Galway camogie manager Cathal Murray has called on the powers-that-be to contribute to a team holiday fund for the All-Ireland finalists.

The All-Ireland senior football and hurling finalists receive €150,000 towards their team holiday from the GAA every year, but there is no such funding available to their camogie counterparts.

“I think Cork and Galway have been unbelievable the last three years, and they’ve brought camogie to a different level,” Murray told the media after his side’s narrow defeat to Cork in the O’Duffy Cup decider.

“When we won the All-Ireland last year, we were out fundraising, the same when we won the All-Ireland in 2019 – going around to club matches with buckets, asking people for fivers, asking people for tenners, asking people for change.

“I think it was 1993 when Eddie O’Connor spoke in the Hogan Stand and talked about the GAA providing money for a holiday. I know the GAA are looked after now – €150,000.

“I think these girls deserve [better], they don’t need to go collecting money in the next few weeks to go on a holiday.

“We talk about integration, we talk about closing the gap and it was brilliant to hear Brian Molloy [Camogie Association president] canvassing for these players. I think that needs to be done now. I think camogie deserves some money to be put into a fund for a holiday for the players, and not to have them go out raising money over the next few weeks.

“Cork were the same way in 2024, we were that way last year. The two teams have done so much for camogie and so much for promotion of the sport that there should be some financial link there for them and some money put in. You’re not looking for an awful lot of money – 20 to €25,000 would do so much for us.”

Cork manager Ger Manley concurred, saying: “I suppose we’re lucky enough with the sponsors we get, but I’d agree that the girls deserve a break.”

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