Rule 42 is again top of the agenda

REPORT TO ANNUAL CONGRESS: The most interesting motions for next month's Annual Congress are numbers 3 and 4, which propose to change Rule 42, which is used to prevent soccer and rugby being played on GAA grounds.

These have been put forward by clubs in Kildare and Clare with the latter mirroring the Roscommon motion that nearly secured the two-thirds majority needed at last year's congress.

Most of the other motions are of a procedural nature.

RULES CHANGES: Motion number 11 from the Kilmurry-Ibrickane club in Clare proposes to overturn one of the most contentious decisions taken by recent congresses. In 2000 a motion from Tyrone, explicitly ruling out any changes in the playing rules for a further 10 years, was passed. Motion 11 proposes to revert to the status quo, which allowed such changes to take place every five years.

CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT: Central Council have put forward motion 14, which proposes to extend the current format in the All-Ireland football championship by a year so that the conclusion of its trial period will coincide with that of its hurling equivalent. This will allow the future direction of both championships to be considered at the same time, in 2003.

STRATEGIC REPORT: There is some current interest in motion 22 from Mayo, which proposes a special congress to consider the Strategic Review Committee report and that it be held within two months. Last Saturday Central Council refused to ratify such a congress in May and expressed a desire that it be held in the autumn.

EXTRA TIME: Motion 15 proposes that extra time be restricted to two halves of 10 minutes, rather than 15 minutes and that the interval in extra time be five minutes.

MINOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Motion 17 proposes that the quarter-final concept, introduced to the senior All-Ireland championship last year, be extended to the minor grade in football. It would feature the runners-up in the four provincial finals plus the winners.

ALL-IRELAND FINALS: Davidstown in Wexford have proposed a startling motion suggesting that the All-Ireland finals be held a month earlier, on the second and fourth Sundays in August.

VOTE FOR PLAYERS: Jarlath Burns, chairman of the GAA's Players' Committee, will have the right to vote at Central Council should motion 12, from Armagh, be passed. Currently the players' representative has the right to attend.

NEW YORK DELEGATES: New York propose in motion 13 that they and the North American Board be allowed delegates to Central Council, rather than have to alternate the right as is the case at present.