THE fixtures backlog brought about by Sunday's postponement of the Railway Cup football semi finals will be addressed today by Croke Park. The next possible date is 18th February - the coming fortnight is scheduled for National Football League matches - but that day poses problems of its own.
As well as a full National Hurling League programme, the All Ireland club football semi finals are scheduled for the 18th and the same weekend also sees important Sigerson Cup fixtures.
Whereas the club matches don't cause a major overlap of players - one from Leinster Munster and Ulster - and although it is unlikely that many will be involved in Sigerson duties, the overall effect is to lessen the impact of the Railway Cup and deprive players, who have been taking preparations seriously, the opportunity to represent their province.
Already the club semi finals have involved a certain amount of fixture juggling with the Laune Rangers Corofin match forming a double bill with Clare Kilkenny in Division One of the hurling league. The other semi final, between Fire Og and Mullabawn, is scheduled for Navan and could end up sharing the venue with the Leinster Connacht Railway Cup semi final which was also supposed to be played in Pairc Taliteann.
The club luring semi final between Dunloy and Glenmore is listed for Croke Park on 11th February, the same day as Dublin and Cavan are due to meet at Parnell Park in a Division Two football fixture. Croke Park are still hoping that Dublin will switch their match to headquarters.
Venues on the move this weekend involve the Tyrone Kerry and Louth Dublin matches. The former is switched from Omagh to Dungannon while Louth's home advantage will be at Dundalk rather than Drogheda which is under renovation.
Sunday's Division One football match between Laois and Clare, at Portlaoise, is planned as the main event on a double bill with the Laois Kilkenny Walsh Cup hurling match. Should conditions deteriorate, however, the hurters will switch to Rathdowney.
Meanwhile, this afternoon sees a historic event in Tralee, according to Kerry county secretary Tony O'Keeffe who reckons the meeting between Tralee RTC and Maynooth College is the first Sigerson Cup match to be held in the town.
The local RTC has greatly improved its fortunes since the appointment of John Kelleher as games development officer, supported by the college, the Kerry county board and the Munster Council.
Now in Division One of the Higher Education League, Tralee have taken good wins from Cork RTC and the University of limerick and include inter county players, William Kirby and Gene Farrell.
