Saturday's Central Council meeting took the expected decision to schedule the final stages of next year's National Hurling League to conclude before the championship begins. The final which took place on October 5th in the season just gone will next year be played on May 17th.

Last season's experiment with the calendar year was always going to be retained and the Hurling League will begin on March 8th. The divisions have been reduced somewhat with last year's relegated teams, Clare, Wexford and Laois having their Division One status restored to accommodate a two-section upper tier of six counties apiece.

Central Council also overturned the 12-month suspensions imposed on six footballers for making unauthorised appearances in North America during the summer. Included are the Roscommon players Nigel Dineen, Shane Curran and Niall Donoghue who successfully appealed their suspensions on a vote of 20 votes to four.

National Hurling League: Division One A - Antrim, Clare, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Offaly; Division One B - Kilkenny, Cork, Laois, Wexford, Waterford, Tipperary; Division Two A - Armagh, Carlow, Kerry, Wicklow, Derry, Monaghan, Roscommon; Division Two B - Kildare, Down, Westmeath, London, Louth, Meath, Tyrone; Division Three - Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Sligo.

Semi-finals: First Division One A v second Division One B; first Division One B v second Division One A.

Play-offs: Bottom Divisions One A v One B, losers relegated.

Division Two semi-finals: first Division Two A v second Division Two B; first Division Two B v second Division Two A; Winners to play each other for promotion.

Play-offs: Bottom Divisions Two A v Two B, losers relegated.

Division Three final: Top two teams play, winners promoted.