IT IS possible that even if the proximity talks at Hillsborough Castle, hosted by the Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, which ended inconclusively last night, achieved some compromise, sectarian confrontation might only be pushed to different venues.
The task facing the Secretary of State, who was at Hillsborough Castle with the RUC Chief Constable, Mr Ronnie Flanagan, throughout yesterday is daunting.
The talks location has unsettling resonances for both sides. Hillsborough Castle is where the AngloIrish Agreement, still hated by unionists, was signed between the British and Irish governments in 1986.
Hillsborough is a predominantly Protestant village and the nationalist negotiators arriving for yesterday's talks had to pass underneath an Orange processional arch.
While the negotiators concentrated on the single issue of averting another Drumcree crisis, all involved are aware that there are dozens of other potential flashpoints.
The first potential sectarian confrontation of the loyalist marching season could take place tonight in west Belfast where Orangemen plan to march from the Whiterock lodge, close to Catholic Ballymurphy, along a stretch of the Springfield Road before turning into the Protestant heartland of the Shankill.
This demonstration has a history of conflict. A massive battle broke out between loyalist and republican gunmen after the same march in 1972. It was again a cause of tension last year.
A nationalist counter demonstration is expected, and the local SDLP councillor, Alex Attwood, yesterday appealed to the Orangemen to impose restraint.
There are plans for a "Tour of the North" series of marches around north Belfast - which contains some of the most notorious sectarian flashpoints - on various dates from next weekend until the end of July. There were serious disturbances arising from one of these demonstrations after the Drumcree standoff last summer. Republicans rioted for several nights, attacking security forces and burning Protestant premises in north Belfast.
There is the residual problem of the Orange demand to march to their hall in the Co Antrim village of Dunloy. This led to the weekly loyalist harassment of Massgoers at Harryville Catholic church, in Ballymena. With the growing threat over the marching season to his parishioners, the local parish priest, Father Sean Connolly, has suspended Saturday evening Masses until after the summer.
Orangemen have given notice of a demonstration in the predominantly nationalist village of Keady, in south Armagh. There will almost certainly be a nationalist counterdemonstration.
In south Belfast loyalist marches are planned to take demonstrators past the nationalist enclaves in the lower Ormeau Road and Markets areas on July 7th and 10th.
It is understood that district Orange lodges throughout the North are planning marches through or near villages and towns where confrontation is almost inevitable.
The main focus, however, remains on Garvaghy Road.
Whether agreement is reached between the local "official" Orange negotiators and Garvaghy residents at Hillsborough there will almost certainly be a groundswell of opposition from militants on one side or the other for some form of confrontation at Portadown.
If the local Orange lodge backs down it will come under pressure from the militant loyalist element associated with groups like the Spirit of Drumcree and, more menacingly, the Loyalist Volunteer Force, the splinter terrorist group which was responsible for the murder of the GAA official, Mr Sean Brown, at Bellaghy, Co Derry, in May.
Both sides are already engaged in drawing support into the area.
The Garvaghy residents group, which includes a significant Sinn Fein element, is planning to bring children on to the parade route for what they term a Feile na mBoithre (festival of the roads).