GAA Round-up: The GAA's Games Administration Committee (GAC) will have a lot on their plate when they meet tomorrow night to decide on the venue(s) for the National Football League semi-finals, fixed for Sunday week, April 18th.

Central to their musings will be where to stage the Division One pairings, which had been provisionally earmarked for Croke Park.

The games also clash with the second round, phase two games in the National Hurling League. Two counties are involved in both sets of matches - Galway and Limerick - and that's just one of the considerations for the GAC.

With Limerick set to meet Kerry, and Galway to meet Tyrone, Croke Park would hardly be a satisfactory compromise venue for both games. Limerick County Board chairman Pat Fitzgerald said yesterday his ideal scenario would be to play the Limerick-Kerry game as a double header in the Gaelic Grounds along with the Limerick-Clare hurling match.

"These are two big matches for us and I feel it would be a real treat for anyone," said Fitzgerald. "The capacity we have here of just under 50,000 should be perfectly adequate. And we have invested a lot of money in the facilities and it's one of the finest stadiums in the country at the moment. I understand a lot of other people's needs would have to be taken into consideration but this is a great opportunity for Limerick supporters to see the best in both football and hurling."

The Limerick County Board met last night to discuss the situation with the football management team. In the meantime, the Kerry County Board have offered to toss for home advantage, having chosen Killarney if the coin were to fall in their favour.

That setting would be a repeat of last year's Munster football final, where Limerick did not play up to their full potential.

The GAC will meet tomorrow evening to finalise the venues. Moving some of the hurling matches to the Saturday is not an option as that would mean forcing an early exit from the GAA Congress, which is set for that Friday and Saturday in Killarney, for the relevant officials.

The two other high-profile hurling matches that day involve Tipperary against Galway, in Thurles, and Cork against Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

It is yet possible Croke Park would stage the Galway-Tyrone football semi-final, with the Division Two clash between Offaly and Kildare as the curtain-raiser. Alternatively, the Galway-Tyrone game could be fixed for Clones along with the other Division Two semi-final, between Down and Donegal, also an attractive double bill.

The interest in the Division Two semi-finals, however, is not seen as being very high, with all four counties having already achieved their primary aim of achieving top flight football.

The GAC secretary, Seán Ó Laoire, was not in a position to comment on the likely outcome yesterday, although he did admit it would not be possible to please everyone. "It is a real challenge for us to make for the most attractive programme of matches, but all we can do is take on board all the considerations as best we can," he said.

While Croke Park would be still a novel attraction for Limerick, Fitzgerald was also wary of the distance involved for both sets of supporters. "It is a long way to drag the fans. But if that's the way it falls we will go with it. I mean it wouldn't necessarily be unfair on us, just a little awkward travelling that sort of distance. But we have been getting great support for Limerick football going back to our under-21 success a few years back where people travelled in great numbers. Fixing the game for the Gaelic Grounds would be the chance to give them something back."

Some of Mayo's problems might be solved at the weekend when James Gill returns to Ireland after spending the winter and spring Inter-railing around Europe.

Gill (23), who has been one of Mayo's best players in recent, disappointing championship seasons, is set to rejoin the Mayo panel for training next week. "James is coming back to Ireland on Sunday," said Mayo manager John Maughan.

Gill, who won a Trench Cup medal with Strawberry Hill, could occupy the problem midfield slot in a Mayo side playing New York in the Big Apple in the Connacht championship next month.

However, there is no prospect of a panel return for Kieran McDonald, whose football commitment now is to club Crossmolina.