Dublin's county convention last night defeated a motion proposed for Congress preventing third-level students from taking part in more than one county championship.

This was seen as a response to controversies like last year's when UCD won the Dublin hurling championship and their players were permitted to represent their home clubs in other counties.

However, after Dr Pat O'Neill and Brian Mullins spoke as UCD delegates, the motion was defeated.

Chairman John Bailey was elected unopposed for the second year of his second stint in the office.

Among the potential motions for Congress being placed before county conventions this week is one from the Burren club in Down proposing that the GAA negotiate to bring camogie and women's football under the control of the association.

Currently those games are separately administered. But there has been a movement towards closer relations between the three organisations, a process known as "alliance". Both GAA president Seβn McCague and his predecessor, Joe McDonagh, have been supportive of the idea.

Down county secretary Donal McCormack's report to the convention in Newcastle features reference to the abolition of Rule 21, the ban on the Northern security forces joining the GAA, which took place at a special congress last month. Down was the only cross-Border county to support repeal.

"Whilst I appreciate that many will find it hard to accept this decision, I am confident that our members will move forward together, as we have done in trying situations before, to build a better and stronger association."

On Thursday, Louth's convention takes place in Dundalk. One motion for Congress that catches the eye comes from the Naomh Moninne club and proposes that the panel for the hurling/shinty internationals be picked from the weaker hurling counties. This might struggle to find favour, given that Ireland has only just recently started to win these internationals again.

Louth's secretary, Pat Toner, is critical in his annual report of the GAA's refusal to bring Ireland's kit manager from last year, Charlie McAllister, to Australia for the International Rules tests. This omission was "nothing short of a disgrace", according to Toner.

In relation to former county football manager Paddy Clarke, who was replaced amidst some controversy after a good run in the championship qualifiers, Toner was unrepentant.

"I think it was time for a change and I hope the incoming management will receive the full support and backing of all."