THE GAA hope to conclude their television deal with RTE later today. Negotiations have dragged on since the new year and the schedule of broadcast matches is due to begin on Sunday with live coverage of the Cork Limerick Munster hurling championship as well as the second half of the preliminary round game in the Ulster football championship between Donegal and Down.

"We are hoping to finalise it by tomorrow evening," said the GAA's director general, Liam Mulvihill, yesterday. "We are very close to agreement." At last weekend's Central Council meeting, Mulvihill said that live broadcasts would not be given the go ahead, in advance of the contract being formalised.

The outstanding issues, relating to the broadcasting of a midweek programme on Gaelic games and finance, both remain to be resolved.

Meanwhile, Connacht football champions Galway show a number of enforced changes from the side that went down to Tyrone in last year's All Ireland semi final for Sunday's match against Sligo. Five players are missing from that match. Val Daly is ruled out with injury and Kevin Walsh, Damien Mitchell and Ray Silke are also injured, although named in the substitutes.

Into the team come Ian O'Donoghue (Salthill), Austin Leonard, Paul Claney (both Moycullen), Shay Walsh (Glenamaddy) and Declan Meehan (Caltra).

Sligo introduce five newcomers for the match. They are Niall Carew (Coolera) and John Lyons (Shamrock Gaels) at right fullback and full back respectively, Oranmore Gaels club man Con O'Meara at midfield, and in the forwards Padraig Doohan (Bunninadden) at right half and Paul Newton (St Mary's), brother of Des and John who both played for Roscommon, at full forward.

Sligo Rovers footballer, Johnny Kenny is also listed among the subs.

The second Leinster football championship preliminary round match, between Wicklow and Carlow, sees Wicklow welcome back a couple of injured players who missed the win over Longford two weeks ago. Hugh Kenny, who was named at full back for that match but who didn't play, is selected again, although he is not 100 per cent recovered.

Seamus Miley, the under 21 centre back and previously a corner back on the senior team, is chosen at midfield to partner Fergus Daly, with Raymond Danne being moved to cornerforward. Fergal Mulligan comes in at right corner forward. Alan Jenkinson, Shay Cullen and James Behan drop out.

Meanwhile, Tyrone's midfielder Fergal Logan is due to undergo a scan on a knee injury Just six days before the Ulster champions defend their title against Fermanagh in Omagh. He decided to have the scan after conflicting diagnoses, ranging from a stress injury to a tear of the cruciate, failed to pinpoint the problem.