Clubs consider revised 15-game schedule

The All-Ireland League first division clubs are currently considering a revised, 15-game schedule for this season as submitted by the IRFU following the union's rejection of the clubs' proposal for no relegation in a reduced 12-game format.

Were it approved, it could be revealed in the next 48 hours and will include midweek games, starting next week.

The Union's AIB League Working Party will also meet this Thursday to discuss the situation regarding Midleton and Highfield, each of whom declined to travel to City of Derry and Ards for games last Saturday.

The clubs are also waiting with interest some belated signals from the Six Nations Committee, who are scheduled to convene again next Sunday, as to whether any or all of Ireland's three outstanding games will be rescheduled for this season, possibly at neutral venues, or next season.

Theoretically, the Wales-Ireland game rescheduled for April 29th in Cardiff will again fall victim of the foot-and-mouth epidemic as of next Friday, as that will be within the 30-day window demanded by the Department of Agriculture. Indeed, with all the veterinary predictions forecasting that the epidemic in Britain will last until well into the summer, there's little chance of any of Ireland's games going ahead as rescheduled for April 29th, May 5th and May 12th in Cardiff, Dublin and Edinburgh.