Out-of-pocket camogie players borrowing diesel money to go training, says Katie Power
Piaras Kilkenny Parade Picture: Senior Teammates All Before The Championship Camogie Power Leads Katie Her In Ireland ó Final Dimplex Mídheach/sportsfile Glen Of The
Kilkenny star Katie Power says cash-strapped camogie players regularly have to borrow money from their partners and parents just to keep their inter-county careers going.
The four-time All-Star said she personally is significantly 'out of pocket' at the end of each month as she picks up the tab for various expenses.
The new minimum standards player charter, revealed earlier this month, has addressed that situation by providing players with a 50 cent per mile expense rate, among various other entitlements.
According to the scheme, the value of the player expenses equates to €1,528 per player per year.
Speaking at the launch of Insomnia's five-year partnership with the GAA and Gaelic Players Association, experienced Kilkenny player Power said the mileage allowance will be a massive help.
Asked if she has received mileage payments up to now, she shook her head.
"No, we don't," said Power. "I can only speak for myself and in Kilkenny but from chatting to other female players in other counties, we don't get any travel expenses.
"You are 100% out of pocket at the end of your month. That aspect alone would be a massive help. Genuinely there are some girls who have to borrow money for diesel at the end of each month.
"It's tough going, to ask your partner or your Mam and Dad for a few bob to put in the car because you have to go training. I know for a fact that there are people on our team who have had to do that. So that alone would be huge.
"I haven't thought about how much exactly it will be worth to me. You could be putting €80 or €100 a week into the car. Even if it covered half of that, at the end of the month when you're adding it all up it wouldn't be so bad."
Power and Kilkenny will return to National League action this weekend against Tipperary.
They need the win after losing two of their three opening games, to Cork and Galway.
The run of results can partly be explained by a new manager, Peter Cleere, trying to develop a new-look team.
Reigning All-Star Denise Gaule, Claire Phelan and Michaela Kenneally are all unavailable this year while Grace Walsh and Miriam Walsh are still recovering from injuries.
Power, who made her senior debut as a teenager in 2006, thought seriously for the first time about not coming back this year too.
"I'd be lying if I didn't say it, this was the first winter where you were thinking, Denise is gone to Australia and there was a half thought of, 'Will I go with her?'" said Power.
"When I added it all up, I do want to play for as long as I'm able. Because when it's over, there's no going back."
Kilkenny contested eight of the 10 All-Ireland camogie finals between 2013 and 2022 but were knocked out at the quarter-final stage in 2023.
Throw in the key players they've lost since, their league struggles and the rising standards in counties like Tipperary and Waterford and there are no guarantees Kilkenny will bounce back this summer.
"I firmly believe it's in our grasp," said Power of another All-Ireland assault. "But there's five or six other teams saying the same thing. If you look at camogie generally, even just in league terms, five of the six teams can still qualify for a final. At the moment, camogie is so close. You probably have Cork above everyone else slightly.
"Then maybe Galway underneath them. But Waterford got to the All-Ireland final last year, Tipp are after beating Cork and Galway in the league. People are going to write off Kilkenny now because of the players we're missing."