Special congress to study hurling format

GAELIC GAMES:This autumn's GAA special congress may be asked to institute further changes to the All-Ireland hurling championship. This emerged from Saturday's Central Council meeting, which announced the remit of the congress, which is primarily intended to debate measures to cut back on intercounty intrusions into club fixtures.

GAA welfare officer Páraic Duffy drew up the discussion document on which proposals will be based but he points out that any changes to the hurling competitions are matters for the counties and the Hurling Development Committee.

"My document is a totally separate matter and nothing to do with redrawing the competitions," he said. "The only parameter I have suggested is that the national leagues shouldn't take longer than eight weeks and that in the championship no county should be able to lose more than twice.

"Anything that counties or other units want to propose in relation to those parameters is up to them."

Saturday's press release stated proposals "to streamline the hurling championship and hurling national league" would be debated at congress, which leaves open the possibility of reopening the issue of the championship structure just months after a major raft of proposals from the HDC were accepted at this year's congress.

Meanwhile, Tipperary officials have denied speculation the former All-Ireland winning captain Declan Carr has been offered the vacant post of county hurling manager.

"I won't comment on individuals," said county PRO Ed Donnelly, "but any speculation at this stage is just that. The committee . . . is still talking to a number of people but there won't be a name put forward until the next county board meeting on September 18th."

A hurling hologram, featuring Waterford's Dan Shanahan and Cork's Joe Deane, will be installed by the championship sponsors Guinness just inside the main entrance of the St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin.

The hologram will be on view for two weeks in the lead-up to the All-Ireland final, on September 2nd.