The GAA's Games Administration committee has drawn up an initial fixtures schedule to try and get the season back on track. At last night's meeting in Croke Park, it was decided to fix matches for the first half of April and to finalise the National Leagues after consultation with the provincial councils who have some catching-up to do themselves in the under-21 football championships.
There had been guarded confidence that, with an April start, the conclusion of the Leagues was still achievable and the first three Sundays of the month have been set aside for those fixtures with the National Hurling League and National Football League doubling up on April 8th and 15th. The first series takes place on April 1st, when the hurling round scheduled for that day will go ahead with the postponed matches being played later in the month.
First back into action will be the club hurlers of Graigue-Ballycallan and Sixmilebridge whose All-Ireland semi-final replay is set for March 31st. The club finals have been fixed for Easter Monday, April 16th. The GAC will ask Central Council to allow extra time to be played in the remaining club matches, as well as in the National League play-offs and All-Ireland under-21 football championships in order to prevent any replays further complicating the schedules.
GAC will meet the provincial councils tomorrow to work out ways of accommodating the under-21 football championship and the Leinster hurling championship's round robin, due to start at the end of April. Talks were also held last night with the Comhairle Ard Oideachais and it is expected that the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups will be rescheduled for the middle of next month.
All plans are subject to the foot-andmouth situation not changing for the worse.
- Limerick hurling manager Eamonn Cregan has invited Owen O'Neill back into his panel. O'Neill burst into the limelight in 1996, but in more recent times drifted from the county scene. He had an excellent season with his club Murroe-Boher, emerging as their top scorer.
- Kilkenny hurling manager Brian Cody is looking forward to having Andy Comerford and midfield partner Brian McEvoy back training again. McEvoy, sidelined with a shoulder injury since last year's All-Ireland final victory, had an operation on his shoulder last week to have a pin removed and is ready to resume full training again. Comerford, on his way back from an operation on a troublesome groin injury, is also ready to step up his scope of activity.
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