The number of GAA websites online has been rapidly increasing over the past few years.

It seems, however, like the GAA championship itself, a huge imbalance exists. Many of the GAA websites do not seem to be maintained at all, while others are strikingly professional in appearance and substance.

It seemed wise, therefore, to check out the different locations where the GAA surfer may find themselves online.

Alternative Result: For example, a Kildare fan abroad attempting to find out how the county football side are doing in the championship would be rather unfortunate should he or she stumble first into the county's unofficial homepage - http:// www.compapp.dcu.ie/GAA/kildare/kildare.html. Would the viewer be told of the fantastic season the Lilywhites had? Of course not.

Under a scoreline of "Kildare 0-11 Louth 0-13", the reader is informed that Kildare have been eliminated from the championship. Could it be possible that the site was last updated in the summer of 1995? Pity the Louth supporter too that uses the site as his first port of call for information.

New Blood: Another site that seems to have been influenced by 1995 is the new Dublin site - http://www.hill16.ie/. The site's outdated look replaces an expertly run and voluntarily maintained unofficial site - http://dublin.gaa.ie - which was forced into early retirement when the Dublin County Board decided to go it alone.

Such a pity this season's senior football squad were not also inspired by the same year.

Straight Talking: While the capital's new site is trying to cheer up Dublin people with news on the club front, the official Kildare homepage - http://www.kildarefootball.com - needs no such diversions. While the unofficial site is mourning the two-point loss to the men of Louth the official site is eager to set the record straight.

Its homepage has only seven words: "Kildare football online - Leinster Champions 2000 - Enter." And when you do, you find details on the "Marvellous" Kildare side, who "steamrolled over a shell-shocked Dublin side". It does, however, rather ruin the swaggering and cocky tone of the main pages by its trivia question to the side of the page: "When did Kildare last win an All-Ireland: 1926, 27 or 28?"

A Final Result: The Roscommon GAA Supporters Club, (Dublin branch) - http://www.roscommongaa.homepad.com - seem to have decided to keep their readers in suspense about the All-Ireland junior football final which the county won against Kerry last Saturday week.

"On August 23rd 1940, Roscommon recorded their first All-Ireland title at adult level, when a team that contained many of the men who were later to win senior honours in 43/44 won the All-Ireland junior title. Sixty years later, almost to the day, Roscommon attempt to win a second title at this level when they face Kerry in Nenagh at 3.00 p.m. on Saturday."

With everyone probably still celebrating the famous victory, who could blame them for forgetting about the site?

Rival Visitors: The Kerry site meanwhile - http:// kerry.gaa.ie - has been giving away signed county jerseys during the championship. The idea was to give away a jersey every week for as long as the senior footballers were still in the championship.

Interesting, though, is the fact that, in the past few weeks, it appears that as many Armagh supporters have been signing the Kerry site's guestbook as Kerry fans. It does seem doubtful, however, that they hang around the website long enough to register themselves for the jersey competition.

Lucky Cats: The Kilkenny homepage - http://kilkenny.gaa.ie/ - has a scrolling headline at the top that moves from right to left. First you see: "Kilkenny reach All-Ireland final 2000". It is quickly followed by "Third time lucky", before finally the last word creeps out a little farther behind: "Hopefully."

Inside the front page the site has a rather unusual topic for public discussion. Under the banner headline "Final should not be in Croke Park this year!" the viewer is asked should the final be played in Semple Stadium, Thurles or Nowlan Park, Kilkenny City. Pairc Ui Conchuir, Tullamore does not appear to be considered as another worthy alternative.

Another Kilkenny, albeit unofficial, site - http:// www.compapp.dcu.ie/GAA/kilkenny/hurl/hkilnews.html - seems to be less optimistic. Under the headline "Phelan and O'Connor to miss out", the text underneath expertly explains that: "It is now highly unlikely that Pat O'Neill and Michael Phelan will be available to Kilkenny for their first round championship tie against Laois." Eh?

Further Afield: Finally, some advice for anyone currently on the panel of the Taiwan Celts GFC, - http:// members.tripod.com/taiwan-gaa. - who seem to be training already for next year's Asian Gaelic finals. "Training is every Wednesday at Bai Ling Chau at 8:00 p.m., Sharp!"

So, it goes without saying, if you're coming via Taiping, Luchu Hsiang or the M50, make sure and leave in plenty of time.