Reale honoured

Gaelic Games Digest:Corner back Damien Reale will captain the Limerick senior hurling team in 2007 - if a player from county champions Bruree doesn't make the starting 15.

A motion from the Mungret club to hand the power to appoint a captain to team management was unanimously defeated at a county board meeting on Tuesday night. As reigning county champions, Bruree have put forward James O'Brien's name as Limerick captain for the coming year.

But if O'Brien doesn't make it onto Limerick's championship team, Hospital-Herbertstown stalwart Reale, an All Star nominee in 2006, will lead the side.

Reale takes over the armband from Garryspillane's TJ Ryan, who announced his retirement from intercounty hurling following last July's championship exit at the hands of Cork.

Limerick manager Richie Bennis confirmed: "The motion from the Mungret club was defeated heavily and in the event of a Bruree man not being on the team, they nominated Damien Reale for captain. We had no say on the matter and that made it easier for us in a way. But if we did have a say, Damien would have been one of the few we would have plumped for," Bennis added.

James O'Brien, Ger O'Brien and Declan O'Rourke are the three Bruree players currently members of Bennis's panel.

Meanwhile, Bennis has expressed his hope that Mark Keane will be fit in time for the start of the National Hurling League. Keane damaged his hands in a recent accident. "Mark had a bit of an accident but he's recovering from it and he'll be okay," said Bennis.

Mayo rejig league

Mayo GAA chiefs have launched a major bid to tackle the thorny issue of club players not getting a proper programme of football with a dramatic reshuffle of the county's league format.

A meeting of the county board has accepted a radical proposal to form the league into six groups, all based on league form last season.

All county players will be made available for all league matches, and the league will commence in March. Former All-Ireland champions Crossmolina and Ballina Stephenites have been kept apart in the two premier divisions. A final will be held in each of the six divisions.

The county's secondary competitions - the Kelly Cup, O'Mara Cup, Canon Henry Cup and North Mayo Cup - will be run in May, June and July on a divisional basis with and without county players. The winners will compete in county semi-finals and a final.

The league divisions are as follows:

Division 1A: Crossmolina, Kiltane, Moy Davitts, Belmullet, Westport, Ballinrobe, Tourmakeady, Davitts, Ballintubber and Louisburgh.

Division 1B: Shrule/Glencorrib, Ballina, Claremorris, Castlebar, Charlestown, Breaffy, Ballaghadereen, Burrishoole, Knockmore, Kilmeena

Division 2A: Garrymore, Cill Chomain, Swinford, Bonniconlon, Aghamore, Carramore, Balla, The Neale, Ballina B, Eastern Gaels.

Division 2B: Kiltimagh, Hollymount, Killala, Parke, Kilmaine, Mayo Gaels, Ballyhaunis, Islandeady, Moygownagh, Crossmolina B.

Division 3A: Castlebar B, Knockmore B, Ardnaree, Swinford B, Lacken, Ballintubber B, Claremorris B, Ballaghadereen B, Kilmovee.

Division 3B: Kilfian, Lahardane, Ballycastle, Westport B, Achill, Ardagh, Breaffy B, Ballinrobe B, Ballycroy, Na hÓileain.

Moloney to lead Tipp

Galway native Stuart Moloney has been named as Tipperary's senior football team captain for 2007.

The Loughrea man, now playing his club football in the Premier County with Aherlow, played a key role for the Tipperary club champions as they recorded an historic county senior football championship success last year.

Moloney takes over the captain's armband from Ardfinnan's Michael Phelan.

Meanwhile, Tipperary's various football teams will not be entering into "home and away" arrangements with Cork and Limerick, as requested by those counties.

Tipperary football board chiefs met with county board officials on Tuesday night and it has been agreed that neutral venues will be used for all grades, as recommended by the football board.

Tipperary football boss John Owens and his selectors had voiced their disapproval of the proposed home and away agreements, and their sentiments were made clear to the county board at Tuesday's meeting.

An interesting motion passed at December's Tipperary county convention has been forwarded to Croke Park for possible consideration on the official GAA Congress Clár in April.

A Newport motion is calling for the GAA to introduce numbers on the front of any new sets of jerseys produced, to prevent referees twisting and turning players when taking their names.

Curley's new role

One of the most experienced Gaelic football referees has become the first sports development officer to be appointed by Galway County Council.

Mick Curley retired from intercounty refereeing last year after a career which saw him take charge of All-Ireland finals in all grades along with senior finals in each of the provincial championships.

Having retired as a Garda superintendent before Christmas, he has now taken up a new position aimed at promoting all sports throughout Co Galway.

"It is a demanding job but one which I am really looking forward to. The diversity of it is one of the many attractions of the position. It is an exciting move," said Curley.