The prospect of an unprecedented strike ahead of next year's GAA season moved a step closer this afternoon with the news that intercounty players around the country have voted overwhelmingly in favour of withdrawing their services.
The results of the Gaelic Players Association ballot were announced at 1pm and reveal that 95.3 per cent support strike action due to the current impasse over the implementation of the proposed Government player welfare grant.
Whether a resolution can be reached ahead of next year's football and hurling leagues, due to get underway in February and March, remains to be seen but as it stands neither competition will go ahead as planned with the strike scheduled to come into effect in January.
The total number of membership balloted was 1881 with a turnout of just over 71 per cent. Approximately 1280 members were in favour of the strike.
The action, which stems from the "ongoing failure of the Government and the GAA to implement sports grants for intercounty players" will impact on all intercounty GAA competitions until the grants issue is resolved, although the club championships will not be affected.
The GPA has instructed its membership to continue training with intercounty squads and remains hopeful that the ongoing negotiations with the Government and the GAA can bring the matter to a successful conclusion ahead of the proposed strike.
"The GPA believes that a resolution can be found in the interim and accepts the genuine commitment being made by the other two parties to this process," the GPA said in a statement.
"However, while there is optimism, we remain resolute that we will carry out our strike action should the impasse continue indefinitely.
"Our campaign for the implementation of the grants scheme has been on-going for five years and we have a duty to our members to expedite this important matter which we intend to do."
The GAA responded to this afternoon's news by describing the decision as regrettable but distancing itself from the dispute, stressing that the issue of player grants was a "GPA and Government initiative and it is a matter for these bodies to resolve".
In a statement released today, the association added: "However, the GAA has had a series of meetings in recent weeks with both bodies and is fully committed to playing a meaningful part in reaching a resolution acceptable to all parties."
"The GAA has supported the concept when requested to do so on the understanding that such grants would be structured and paid on the same basis, through the Irish Sports Council, as applies to other sports.
" It has serious implications for the word and spirit of the amateur status of the association by asking the GAA to pay players directly from its own funding. To date, the government proposes to make funding available under the finance which is provided annually through the Capital Sports Programme designed to help finance crucial projects at county and grassroots level.
"This capital allocation can vary greatly from year to year and is dependent, among other factors, on the state of the exchequer finances in any given year. In that scenario the GAA has absolutely no way of guaranteeing that 'additional' money for player grants is not being deducted from the allocation for capital funding nor has it any guarantee of continuity of payment.
"Also, it has serious implications for the word and spirit of the Amateur Status of the Association by asking the GAA to pay players directly from its own funding."