Top GAA sources have played down the prospect of current GAA president Joe McDonagh seeking a second term of office at some stage in the future after his successor completes their spell of duty. The suggestion arose from an interview in which McDonagh refused to rule out such a possibility.

"There is no rule against coming back in the future and I would not rule it out but, of course, time moves on and maybe the trend towards having younger people as president will be maintained," he told yesterday's Irish Independent. "I wouldn't see it as much more than a kite being flown," according to one Croke Park source. "If you read the interview, it's very much a throwaway line. I wouldn't read an awful lot into it."

On the question of whether McDonagh's contention is correct, it was stated that the rule in question was "ambiguous". The relevant provision in Rule 72 states: A president or a trustee shall not hold office for more than three consecutive years.

This can be interpreted either way but seems to indicate that one three-year term is the maximum allowed. The alternative gloss is that having served for a three-year term, a president can vacate office but return after someone else has had a term.

No president since Padraig MacNamee (1938-43) has served for more than three years - in those days the current restriction did not exist. Furthermore, no-one apart from the association's first president, Maurice Davin, has served two non-consecutive terms of office (1884-87 and 1888-89).

The conjecture dovetails with local developments in Clare and Dublin. In the capital, former chairman John Bailey is on the ballot for next Monday's Dublin annual convention. Two years ago an attempt was made to amend the county's standing orders in order to extend the maximum length of time an officer could serve as president.

When this failed, Bailey had to step down at last January's convention where he was succeeded by John Egan. Now, having sat out a year, Bailey is attempting to return in the coming election.

Clare's chairperson Robert Frost has also defiantly insisted that he will again run for office at the upcoming convention. Back in 1994, a motion from the Sixmilebridge club proposed limiting a chairperson's term of office to five years. After taking advice, Frost advised the county board some time later that the motion required a weighted majority of two thirds.

The following year, the proposal was overwhelmingly carried. Frost has since argued that his possible five years should run from when the motion was passed in 1995 rather than 1994 when his term of office commenced. A ruling from higher authority may be needed. In the meantime, Frost will be challenged by Fr Michael McNamara, the outgoing vice-chairperson.

Frost has had a troublesome year with the clergy. His chance overhearing of "three priests" at Croke Park allegedly badmouthing the Clare hurlers formed the basis of the ill-advised outbursts from county hurling manager Ger Loughnane on local radio - currently the subject of a an investigation by the GAC which is to pronounce on the matter at some unspecified date in the future. Meanwhile, Leinster Council has indicated that the decision to stage next weekend's Kilmacud CrokesEire Og provincial club football final replay on a Sunday - rather than Saturday as originally planned - in Tullamore was based on the poor state of the pitch in St Conleth's Park Newbridge. At this time of the year, the surface is soft and muddy and clearly unable to take two matches in successive days.

As luck would decree, the Leinster club hurling final is also scheduled for Sunday as are the Connacht and Munster football finals and, more importantly for the Leinster football finalists, county finals in Kildare and Laois - ruling out Newbridge and Portlaoise on Sunday.

There is a growing exasperation that so many important club ties have been left to this late in the year. Given that the championships are more popular than ever, it is plainly crazy to be staging four provincial finals on the one day.

The solution, according to one Leinster official lies with the Ulster custom of insisting on original dates being fulfilled and no granting of postponements. "We have a situation now where county panels have 30 players and clubs are refusing to play over the summer and using their players' involvement to justify no matches. County championships are running way behind and this has to change."