Intercounty calendar now full, admits Mulvihill

The Tipperary crisis that led to the withdrawal of the county footballers from the All-Ireland qualifier series may have wider implications for the GAA. Liam Mulvihill, the association's director general, said yesterday that the controversy may indicate that the intercounty calendar is now full.

Last week's developments saw the Tipperary football manager, Andy Shortall, resign because a divisional board refused to put back a club hurling match scheduled for Wednesday and featuring two members of the county football panel. The players then refused to play and the county was forced to give Saturday's qualifier opponents Fermanagh a walkover.

"It possibly is a wake-up call for us too," according to Mulvihill. "It possibly is telling us that the intercounty scene is at boiling point and we're not leaving enough time for the clubs. I'm not saying that is a factor, but it's certainly something I'd like to see us investigating as part of the whole issue.

"If we are putting demands on players to play for their club and county, and we have always done that, there's no way we can take the intercounty scene much farther without very serious damage being done to the club schedules."

The matter is due before the Games Administration Committee this weekend and will also be discussed by the GAA's Management Committee. Mulvihill also said that he believes the issue will be even more widely considered.

"It's such a major issue that ultimately I expect Central Council will decide that they want to be involved. I couldn't say what the outcome will be. Until it's discussed by management I honestly don't know, but certainly all the indications from talking to people is that people feel it is a serious issue."

He was also critical of counties who put their county championships on hold for the duration of the county's involvement in the intercounty championships.

"Some of those counties that decide not to play games will be looking for postponements when the International Rules series is on and whose players won't be available because they're still finishing their championships - or playing out their championships in December.

"I'm saying that there's a case to be made for studying the whole thing and not being narrow in our focus but looking at what caused it and whether there is sufficient time for club fixtures in counties where they have quite an amount of dual players."

Meanwhile, holders Laois have confirmed their line-up for Sunday's Leinster football semi-final at Croke Park.

Pádraig Clancy, who missed most of the league with a thumb injury, is back in the team. Having come on as a replacement in the win over Carlow his return was expected, but he lines out at wing forward, leaving the Noel Garvan-Kevin Fitzpatrick partnership unchanged at centrefield.

Beano McDonald moves to centre forward in a switch with Ian Fitzgerald. It is McDonald's first senior championship start in that position.

Offaly hurlers welcome back their high-profile injury absentees. Rory Hanniffy is back ahead of schedule after a serious knee injury, while Brian Whelahan has also recovered from a broken thumb. Barry Teehan also returns at corner back for the Leinster semi-final against Dublin.

LAOIS (SF v Meath): F Byron; A Fennelly, C Byrne, J Higgins; D Rooney, T Kelly, P McDonald; N Garvan, K Fitzpatrick; R Munnelly, B McDonald, P Clancy; I Fitzgerald, C Parkinson, C Conway.

LEITRIM (SF v Roscommon): G Phelan; D Reynolds, J McKeon, M McGuinness; N Gilbane, S Quinn, B Prior; D Maxwell, C Carroll; J Goldrick, J Guckian, C Regan; D Brennan, F McBrien, M Foley.

OFFALY (SH v Dublin): B Mullins; B Teehan, G Oakley, D Franks; Brian Whelahan, N Claffey, C Cassidy; M Cordial, Barry Whelehan; G Hanniffy, R Hanniffy, B Murphy; B Carroll, J Brady, D Murray.