All Star deal extended

Of course the only people genuinely interested in the GAA All Star tour are the actual participants - the players and officials, their wives/partners, the dozen or so journalists who spend most of the week chasing an exclusive, and not least of all the sponsors.

With immaculate timing then, Vodafone have announced a one-year extension to their All Star sponsorship.

Speaking shortly after this year's touring party landed in sunny Dubai yesterday morning, GAA president Nickey Brennan sat at one of the three poolside locations at the Royal Meridien Beach Resort to disclose details of the new deal.

He wasn't talking exact figures - although the deal is known to be worth over €2 million - but Brennan did make it clear that all GAA sponsorships are up for renewal at the end of 2007, and that was the main reason the extension was for now limited to one year.

"Obviously we're delighted that Vodafone have extended the sponsorship for another year," he said. "But as you may be aware, the GAA is currently reviewing all its sponsorship, and that project is in hand at the moment."

It has been widely suggested that the GAA are considering one main or "anchor" sponsor. Brennan said: "Whatever we go for it will probably be a several-year deal. We can't say any more on it at this stage, and in fact any new deal won't be announced until after the All-Ireland finals this year."

Also being negotiated at the moment is the GAA's position with the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), including how they can best pursue the Government's offer of making €5 million available to indirectly benefit player welfare schemes.

Brennan's latest meeting with GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell took place on Monday night, and progress has been steady: "It's one of a number of items we're working with the GPA on at the moment, and of course it is a priority.

"The minister has said that the money is there, and we're working with the GPA to work out the formula to get our hands on that money, for the players. And I'd like to think that will happen this year. We're not just talking for the sake of talking. We're talking to come to a conclusion on this.

"The Government has said that they will listen to all proposals that are well thought out and under the guise of player welfare.

"The Government have made their own statement on the issuing of grants (ruling them out), so this is up to us, and there's goodwill on both sides to ensure we put our case to the Government as soon as possible."

One late, late team change for Saturday's exhibition game saw Dublin's Declan Lally called into the 2005 line-up to replace Tyrone's Brian Dooher, who was unable to travel.

Lally was only called up on the morning of departure but was happy to make himself available.