Dublin eye Croke Park league start

GAELIC GAMES/National League fixtures and news: Dublin will be looking to stage their opening National Football League fixture in Croke Park. According to Dublin chairman John Bailey the visit of All-Ireland champions Tyrone on February 1st should generate enough interest to set the game for GAA headquarters, similar to the visit of Armagh at the start of this year.

The complete fixture lists for both the football and hurling National Leagues were confirmed yesterday, and the meeting of Dublin and Tyrone is clearly the highlight of round one of the football. Tyrone will also be out to start the defence of their league title on a winning note, and stay on course for a hat-trick of titles.

Last February the visit to Dublin of then All-Ireland champions Armagh prompted the Dublin County Board to switch the game from Parnell Park to Croke Park, and it pulled a crowd of 54,432 - a record attendance for a divisional league match. A large majority of those tickets were given away free to schools and Dublin were heavily beaten yet Bailey believes the venture should be repeated.

"We will sit down with Croke Park and see what can be worked out," he said. "But again this is not about making money. It's about promoting the game in schools, and is a great marketing opportunity. I would definitely like to see it happen again."

The other game of broad interest in round one is the meeting of Westmeath and Cork, also in Division One A. That brings former Kerry manager Páidí Ó Sé, now in charge of Westmeath, up against his old rival Billy Morgan, who is back in charge of Cork. With Cork enjoying home advantage that game may be fixed for the Saturday evening of January 31st, and played under the floodlights at Pairc Uí Rinn.

Already some significant changes had been made to the make-up of the two top divisions, primarily to create a greater balance between One A and One B. Galway and Armagh were moved to One B for next year, with Mayo and Fermanagh making the reverse switch, thus addressing the situation where One A appeared more competitive than One B.

Probably the most attractive game in the opening round of One B is the meeting of Meath at home to Galway. Armagh will be at home to newly-promoted Wexford, while Limerick will host Leinster champions Laois.

The seven rounds of the football league will continue until April 4th, with two rounds - round five and six on March 13-14th and 20th-21st - set to be split between Saturday and Sunday throw-ins. The eight teams that progress to the semi-finals (two from each division) will meet in the semi-finals on April 18th, with the finals - Division One and Two - set for Sunday, May 2nd.

In the lower division, Kildare won't have it easy when they start their drive for promotion at home to Derry, nor will Donegal, who start their Division Two A campaign at home to Offaly.

The hurling league starts three weeks later on February 22nd and it's mixed news for defending champions Kilkenny, also out to achieve a hat-trick, as they can expect huge support in Nowlan Park when starting out on home soil, although opponents Waterford will ensure a tough contest.

The other Division One A games has Dublin at home to Galway, and Laois at home to Clare, while in Division One B the highlight is certain to be the meeting of Limerick and Cork. Tipperary also have a difficult opening assignment by heading to Offaly. The second series of games will begin on April 11th and continue over successive weekends until April 25th, with the final set for Sunday, May 9th.