THE DRAWs for next year's All-Ireland senior championships are set to be changed from their customary Sunday evening slot on television. Instead the pairings for the various football and hurling ties in each province will be decided next Wednesday evening (October 8th) on RTÉ 1. It is understood the draw will be made during the sports segment of the 6.01 News.

It is believed the GAA requested the change from the usual Sunday evening slot.

Meanwhile, the Leinster Council are likely to agree to a agree to a request from the Dublin County Board to defer the start of the provincial club football campaign by a week. The Dublin champions are due to face their Kildare counterparts in a first-round tie on October 26th, but the Dublin championship has three more rounds to go. The four quarter-finals are on this weekend.

So a Leinster game on the scheduled date would leave the Dublin champions  playing on four successive weekends. Wexford have also applied for a week's grace for their opening-round football tie, because their county championship is behind schedule.

LEINSTER CLUB DRAWS

Football:Oct 26th: Dublin v Kildare, Wexford v Meath, Carlow v Wicklow, Offaly v Laois. Nov 9th: Dublin or Kildare v Louth, Wexford or Meath v Westmeath, Carlow or Wicklow v Longford. Nov 23rd: Semi-finals: Dublin, Kildare or Louth v Wexford, Meath or Westmeath; Carlow, Wicklow or Longford v Offaly v Laois. Dec 7th: Final.

Hurling:Nov 2nd: Kilkenny v Laois, Dublin v Offaly. Nov 16th: Kilkenny or Laois v Westmeath; Dublin or Offaly v Wexford.

Nov 30th:Final