Dublin manager Shane O’Brien has described the decision of the Camogie Association to draw lots, if necessary, to decide the last All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final place as “ludicrous” and a “backward step”.
As it stands, if Clare beat Derry on Sunday, Dublin could exit the competition by the equivalent of a coin toss, according to O’Brien.
A Clare victory would see them level on points with Dublin in Group 2, with the sides having played out a 1-08 to 1-08 draw earlier in the season.
With the head-to-head and scores even, it will come down to the drawing of lots to see which team faces Wexford, in the event that Derry do not draw with or beat the Banner women.
The Camogie Association has confirmed that, as per an agreement reached last November, this method “has been known to counties since the National Fixtures plan was disseminated to all counties on 3 December, 2014.”
It added: "The procedure was introduced in an effort to free up dates during the inter-county season to provide for club game schedules by avoiding play-off dates at inter-county level."
But O’Brien is far from happy with this arrangement.
He told RTÉ Sport: “Obviously, there was a huge amount of confusion in recent days with the rules, there was lack of clarity there regarding certain procedures for third place and I think there were different interpretations within certain parts of the country.
“Down in Clare, I think they were led to believe that it was going to be done on score difference.
“Other people interpreted it in such a way that it was going to be by this toss of a coin so we’re bitterly disappointed this morning and it obviously just shows a total disregard for player welfare, for the sacrifices the players have made.
“It’s a fantastic game. We’re made massive efforts to boost the image of camogie. It such a shame that this backward step could undo all of the good work."
Asked what effect the situation has had on his players, O’Brien said that it was “disrespectful” to his team.
“The players are really distraught,” he said.
“They have given so much of their time, they have made so many sacrifices. We’ve trained, we’ve met together as a group over 90 times. It’s hugely disrespectful to the players.
"To go out by a toss of a coin is just absolutely ludicrous"
“They’ve given up their lives for this competition. I just think it’s devaluing the whole competition.
“There is an established way of doing things in world sport, where you have scoring difference, scoring aggregate.
“You see it in rugby, in soccer, the Premiership [sic], and obviously in our own games, hurling and football – the league positioning can be done on scoring difference.
“Personally, I think this is the logical solution. To go out by a toss of a coin is just absolutely ludicrous.
While many other sports use different criteria to separate teams that finish level on points, the drawing of lots is not uncommon.
Guinea progressed to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations via this method in January, while Ireland’s famous World Cup match against Romania in 1990 was set up by the drawing of lots after they finished level with Holland in the group stages.
However, O'Brien doesn't want it to reach that point and favours a play-off, if necessary.
“To be honest, at this stage, we’d be open to anything bar this toss of a coin. It’s just such an injustice, making a mockery of the competition. Clare, I’m sure, would be of a similar view.
“If you were to decide the outcome of any event in a summer camp by the toss of a coin, it would create bitterness and turn kids sour against whatever sport.
"Unfortunately, it’s going to turn the players sour. Not just in Dublin and Clare, perhaps throughout the country.
“I’m just really hoping that common sense will prevail.”
