PERHAPS luckily, in light of the tension between the two teams, All-Ireland finalists Meath and Mayo are not scheduled to meet again this year.

With Meath operating in Division One and Mayo in Division Two of the National League - the competition gets under way on Sunday week - the teams' paths will not cross until the knock-out stages in late March, if both teams qualify.

At Monday's lunch for the teams Mayo's Liam McHale said he believed it would "not be a pretty sight the next time we meet".

The time factor, however, before the counties meet again in an important match should be of considerable help in avoiding any clash.

Meath return to action against newly-promoted Cavan in their League opener and are away to Cork and at home to Kerry before facing Tyrone away in a repeat of the controversial All-Ireland semifinal. Their remaining matches in the round-robin series are away to Donegal and at home to Kildare and Derry.

Mayo open against Monaghan at home and then take on Laois (away), Dublin (at home), Louth and Clare (away), and Leitrim and Armagh at home.

Meanwhile, the Mayo county board will make a special appeal to the Games Administration Committee of the GAA to have McHale's suspension confined to the minimum term, two weeks.

If they succeed, the star mid-fielder would still not be eligible to play for Ballina Stephenites in next Sunday's Mayo county final against Knockmore. The Ballina club made a special appeal by fax yesterday to GAA headquarters for McHale's suspension to be delayed until after Sunday's final, but club secretary Michael Kilkenny was prepared to abandon hope of a favourable reply late last evening.

The final, one of a plethora of deciders listed for Sunday, had already been postponed due to the drawn All-Ireland.

Ray Dempsey and Peter Butler will he lining out for Knock more while county team colleague David Brady will play for Ballina Stephenites.