Central Council to discuss Louth `relegation' issue

Although this weekend's annual GAA Congress in Dublin is focused on tomorrow's motions to decide the future of Rule 42, this evening's meeting of the Central Council will address a few less eminent matters.

Among them is the issue of the National Leagues and how certain counties affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak will end up as a result of mixed fixtures. Most pressing is the situation with Louth, who missed their final two games in Division 1A of the football league because of the disease.

It has already been decided that Louth would not suffer any negative consequence of unfulfilled fixtures after being excluded from the last two rounds of the league but the problem of relegation has yet to be solved. Louth are part of a three-way battle with Dublin and Kerry currently under threat of relegation, and while Kerry and Louth have met, the Dublin and Louth game won't go ahead as originally scheduled.

If Kerry lose their remaining two games and Dublin lose their final game (against Galway on Sunday) then the problem doesn't arise but should it turn out otherwise then it may be necessary to play Louth's remaining games at a later date.

The issue of Rule 42, which denies the use of association grounds to other sports, continues to gain mixed support. Among the counties to reveal their likely votes yesterday were Tyrone (against) and Armagh (for).

The Louth Vocational Schools team are involved in a more controversial matter surrounding the foot-and-mouth outbreak. They are still awaiting a satisfactory outcome to their objection against the decision to eliminate them from the intercounty championship having already played six games to get to the Leinster final.

That final was delayed because of the disease outbreak, but in the meantime, Offaly - their opponents - were nominated to play against Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final. Louth are still seeking a more reasonable solution from the Colleges Committee but time is fast running out as Mayo and Offaly are due to play in Hyde Park this evening.

"We still feel that we were not given proper consideration on the matter," says Louth manager Paddy Carr. "Getting this far in the championship was a huge achievement for us and it is very difficult to explain it to the young players who have been building for this for the last 11 months. We have suggested a number of alternatives but none of those appear to have been considered."

The one compromise suggested by the Colleges Committee was that Offaly, should they win this evening, would then play Louth for a place in the All-Ireland final, but that didn't appear to solve the problem of what would happen if Mayo won. "We seem to be banging our heads against the wall because we still can't get any satisfaction on the matter," said county secretary Pat Toner.

Meanwhile, the Munster under-21 final between holders Limerick and Cork will now be played next Thursday, April 12th, in Limerick. Originally set for the Tuesday or Wednesday, the Munster Council agreed to put it back a day on Limerick's request as Stephen Lucey is involved with UCD in the Sigerson Cup final on the Wednesday.

Cork were looking to get the game deferred a further week as they have a number of players also involved with Nemo Rangers in the All-Ireland club final on Easter Monday, April 16th, but that request was turned down by Limerick.

Despite requests from Galway for an earlier throw-in time of 2.0 p.m., Sunday's NFL game with Dublin at Parnell Park is still set to go ahead at 3.30 p.m..