Despite a guarantee from GAA president SeáKelly that Croke Park will open its doors to international rugby and soccer in 2007, another dissenting voice within the association has questioned the validity of suspending Rule 42 if planning permission is not granted for Lansdowne Road.
Cork Central Council delegate Bob Honohan supports the view expressed by Ulster Council chairman Michael Greenan in his address to the Ulster convention.
In response, Kelly said this week stadium experts hired by the FAI and IRFU had given assurances that planning permission would be granted for Lansdowne Road by January 2007.
"I said since our last (Central Council) meeting in December, where the vote was taken and the go-ahead was given, on condition, as we understood it, that certain criteria would have to be met," said Honohan.
"What I have been reading since would suggest that whatever the circumstances, these games are going to take place in Croke Park in February of 2007."
Meanwhile, Brian Gavin will referee the All-Ireland club hurling final between Portumna and Newtownshandrum at Croke Park on St Patrick's Day, throw-in 2pm, while David Coldrick from Meath takes control of the football final, between St Gall's and Salthill-Knocknacarra, throw-in 3.40pm.
Michael Donnellan of Salthill-Knocknacarra and Galway will have to wait until after the club final before he knows whether he will follow in the footsteps of his father John and grandfather Mick and become county captain, according to a club spokesman.
Salthill/Knocknacarra have the right to select the Galway skipper for this year's championship.
None of the three Tyrone footballers reprieved from suspension after the infamous Dublin-Tyrone league encounter on February 5th will start Sunday's league clash with Offaly.
But Owen Mulligan, Kevin Hughes and Michael McGee will be on the bench at Tullamore.
Manager Mickey Harte has made just one change from the side selected for last weekend's meeting with Cork, before the tie fell victim to the weather.
Mickey Murphy is being rested owing to his involvement in the Ulster under-21 championship, opening the way for Ryan Mellon to return to the attack.
All Star Ger Farragher is a doubt for Galway's National Hurling League game against Laois tomorrow because of a stomach bug.
TYRONE (SF v Tyrone): P McConnell; D Carlin, C Gormley, E Bradley; D Harte, G Devlin, P Jordan; B Meenan, C Gourley; R McMenamin, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O'Neill, R Mellon.
OFFALY (SF v Tyrone): P Kelly; K Lynam, S Casey, N Grennan; G Rafferty, S Brady, K Slattery; N Coughlan, A McNamee; J Reynolds, C McManus, L Mooney; J Coughlan, P Kellaghan, N McNamee.
DERRY (SF v Armagh): B Gillis; F McEldowney, K McCloy, SM Lockhart; P Cartin, J McBride (capt), L Hinphey; P Bradley, J Diver; J O'Kane, E Muldoon, F Doherty; M Lynch, P Bradley, E Bradley.
OFFALY (SH v Wexford): B Mullins; B O'Meara, P Cleary, D Franks; D Hoctor, R Hanniffy, K Brady; A Hanrahan, G Hanniffy; D Hayden, M O'Hara, J Bergin; B Carroll, B Murphy, A Egan.
WATERFORD (SH v Clare): C Hennessy; B Phelan, T Feeney, E Murphy; D Coffey, K Moran, J Murray; E Kelly, M Walsh; J Kennedy, D Shanahan, P Flynn; C Carey, S Prendergast, J Mullane.
