Cork Player's Comments On Combining Men's And Women's Clubs Make A Lot Of Sense

As the women's game in both codes continues to grow around the country, much has been made in recent times about the prospect of integrating ladies football and camogie into the GAA in the near future. While there remains some challenges to that goal, one club in Cork has shown the potential benefits of such a move.

It seems rather odd that the men's and women's codes remain under separate umbrellas in a modern Ireland. Of course, joining the longstanding organisations into a single entity will involve a number of complex issues.

The stated is aim is to see all of the sports amalgamate into the GAA by 2027, with GAA President Jarlath Burns recently suggesting that such a move could have a cost of up to €500million.

Whatever the financial cost, Cork club Aghada are an example of the benefits of such a move.

READ ALSO: John Mullane Explains Major Issue Ballygunner Dominance Has Caused For Waterford Team

READ ALSO: Pat Spillane Reveals Eye-Watering Payments To Two Inter-County GAA Managers

At the end of 2022, the members of Aghada GAA club, Aghada Ladies, and Aghada Camogie would vote to join the club under one single entity moving forward.

The moves has proven to be a huge success. Adghada would be crowned Cork Ladies senior champions in 2024, with the camogie and men's football and hurling teams proving to have a successful start to the season in 2025. Both women's teams have won their two championships games up to this point, while the hurlers topped their group in the Cork intermediate championship.

Speaking to Clubber after a win over Ballygiblin at the weekend, Noah Devoy would sum up how much a boost the amalgamation has proven to be for the club.

"We all share the same dressing rooms, we all share the same pitches, so why not be the same club"👌#ClubberMOTM Noah Devoy and Charlie Terry speak to Clubber TV about the game and Aghada's new 'One Club' initiative, after @AghadaGAA overcome @Ballygiblingaa in the… pic.twitter.com/5K4meeKLAM

— Clubber (@clubber) September 9, 2025

I think we voted there last year to join all the clubs and it's been wonderful.

The ladies football have two from two and the camogie have two from two. It's brilliant.

We all share the same pitches, we all share the same dressing rooms, so why not be one club? It's brilliant.

The girls are doing fantastic, the intermediate footballers had a great win last week against Bantry, so everyone is rowing in the right direction.

Hopefully we keep continuing that.

Cork dual stars Hannah Looney and Aoife Healy have been mainstays for Aghada in recent years, with Looney among those to praise the comments of her clubmate over the weekend.

👏👏👏 https://t.co/bjJqqaGC8G

— Hannah Looney (@Looneytunes_kid) September 10, 2025

Aghada are certainly providing a template for how amalgamation of men's and women's clubs can be managed moving forward, with the Cork outfit going from strength to strength since the move was confirmed.