News round-up: In what has slowly turned into a Beckett-like drama of waiting for something to happen, with no apparent end, the Cork players' strike looks set to drag on for several more weeks.

The GAA yesterday granted the disputing county board and players a little more leeway to sort out their differences, although there is now a clear ultimatum; miss two National League games and you're gone.

While last weekend's opening National Football League match against Meath was effectively deferred, Cork's opening hurling league game against Kilkenny remains fixed for Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Sunday, without the potential for a deferment. If Cork fail to fulfil that fixture, which appears inevitable, they will automatically forfeit the league points to Kilkenny.

However, Cork can still complete their hurling league campaign provided the strike is resolved ahead of the second-round game against Waterford on Sunday week, February 17th. If Cork also fail to fulfil that game they will be excluded from the remainder of the league, with automatic relegation.

Similarly, the Cork footballers must show up for their second-round league game against Dublin on Saturday week, February 16th, or that, too, will count as a second unfulfilled fixture, with similar consequences. If there is a breakthrough in the strike by then and Cork do in fact play that game, then the Meath game, deferred from last Saturday, will be refixed, and it's business as usual - as unlikely as that seems.

"The situation as things now stand is that Cork's hurling league match against Kilkenny remains fixed for this Sunday," explained Jimmy Dunne, the chairman of the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC). "We haven't had any communication from Cork on this regarding a deferment, although they would still be obliged to inform us if they are unable to fulfil the fixture.

"The situation with the football game was a different scenario, in that there was communication both ways, and it was agreed the game wouldn't take place as scheduled. Our next CCCC meeting is February 19th, and we agreed to revisit the matter at that meeting. But it is a different situation with the hurling game, which remains fixed."

As the CCCC have no plans to meet this week, they therefore aren't open to any request from Cork to have Sunday's hurling game postponed. Dunne also confirmed Sunday, March 9th, was already set aside as the date for any necessary refixtures from the opening round, such as last Sunday's Division Three match between Leitrim and Fermanagh, which was postponed because Carrick-on-Shannon was unplayable. Such postponed games, however, including possibly the Cork-Meath tie, can still be played before that date, once there is agreement between the counties involved.

In the meantime the GAA had sought clarification on the Cork issue from Central Council, the result of which was disclosed in a statement from Croke Park, which read: "(Central Council) pointed out that at their meeting of January 26th, it was agreed that in the event of two games in the hurling or football competitions being awarded in circumstances where a given county cannot field a team, the county shall be automatically disqualified from the current National League in the code in which the two games were not fulfilled."

These developments suggest Cork at least have until the end of next week to resolve the players' strike, and that the onus to resolve the dispute remains firmly on the Cork players and officials. Originally it was hoped talks would resume at the weekend under Kieran Mulvey, the chief executive of the Labour Relations Committee, but after communicating with both sides late last week, he announced on Friday evening he wasn't in a position to resume those talks as neither side appeared any more willing to reach a compromise.

A meeting of the Cork players, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday night, had to be cancelled because of the death of the father of football panellist John Hayes. The county board continue to refuse to comment on their next movements.

The situation, therefore, appears as deadlocked as ever, and surely not helped by the fact Seán Óg Ó hAilpin was on a popular TV talk show on Saturday night where he stood by his recent comments criticising the county board.

Last night about 500 attended a march in Cork city, backing the striking players, but also highlighting the desire of the supporters to see their teams get back playing as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, the GAA have announced details of this Saturday's All-Ireland club junior and intermediate hurling finals, which take place at Croke Park. The junior final between Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) and Conahy Shamrocks (Kilkenny) starts at 6pm, and the intermediate final between Tomas Larkins (Galway) and Clonkill (Westmeath) gets under way at 7.45pm.

Entry to the games will be by ticket only to the Hogan Stand. Tickets are available from the GAA website - www.gaa.ie - and through Ticketmaster outlets nationwide and fans are advised to purchase tickets in advance to avoid potential delays at ticket outlets on the night. Tickets are priced at €20 for adults, €5 for juveniles and €7 for students/senior citizens on production of a current valid photographic ID (must have expiry date).