A club versus county row has overshadowed Tyrone's preparations for Sunday's National Football League semi-final against Galway.
Domestic league games have been fixed for midweek and for Sunday evening, involving the entire Tyrone squad.
Two games, scheduled for last night, involved clubs that provide seven members of the Tyrone squad, while a full programme of club league ties is to be played on Sunday evening.
Manager Mickey Harte claimed the fixture makers are putting undue pressure on his players by scheduling matches at inappropriate times.
"I would expect players to be at training on the Tuesday night before a National League semi-final.
"When you put a pull on players between a club match and county training, usually the club wins that battle," said Harte. "And I don't think that we should have our players involved in a battle between club and county. We should pre-empt these things in as far as it is possible to do so, and not have players having to make decisions like that."
But Pat Darcy, chairman of the county's Games Administration Committee, said that this week's club fixtures are designated ties, in which clubs are to play without their county players. He did accept, however, that many players are coming under pressure from their clubs to turn out in designated league games.
"The clubs should not put pressure on these players to play for them," he said. "We introduced a top-four system this year as a safety net for teams which may lose out in some games due to not having their county players."
That pressure is likely to lead to many of Tyrone's players dashing away from Healy Park following Sunday's NFL semi-final to turn out for their clubs, a prospect that disturbs Mickey Harte.
"I think that is a distraction for those who are playing in the National League semi-final. They have to go immediately afterwards to play in a club game, which is very important for their club, and you can't diminish one at the expense of the other. But the key to all of this is the players' welfare. I don't think a double fixture on a Sunday has got the players' welfare in mind."
No fewer than six of the Offaly side that started against Kilkenny last Sunday have been laid low by injuries and ruled out of next Sunday's NHL game against Dublin.
The six missing through injury are Barry Teehan, Brian Whelehan, Colm Cassidy, Neville Coughlan, Brendan Murphy and Rory Hanniffy. The five substitutes introduced against Kilkenny have all retained their places and the only newcomer to league fare is Paddy Whelan from Kinnitty.
Paul Curran will play his first game for Tipperary since last year's All-Ireland semi-final when he lines out at corner back in place of John Devane in the team to play Galway in Sunday's NHL fixture in Thurles.
The team shows four changes from the side that lost to Clare last Sunday. Other changes include Martin Maher coming in at corner back in place of the injured Thomas Costello.
Up front, Tony Scroope will make his first competitive start at this level at wing forward in place of Mark O'Leary.
Eoin Kelly returns to corner forward in place of Brian O'Meara with Lar Corbett starting at full forward.
TIPPERARY (SH v Galway): B Cummins; M Maher, P Maher, P Curran; E Corcoran, D Fanning, D Fitzgerald; E Enright, P Kelly; T Scroope, J Carroll, B Dunne; P O'Brien, L Corbett, E Kelly.
OFFALY (SH v Dublin): B Mullins; M O'Hara, G Oakley, D Franks; N Claffey, P Whelan, K Brady; M Cordial, N Mannion; B Carroll, G Hanniffy, D Hayden; S Whelehan, J Brady, D Murray.
