All-Ireland club football champions Crossmaglen Rangers head into their county final this Sunday as living proof of the fixtures congestion that is stifling the game at grassroots level. Their plight actually puts the proposals for the new national "super championship/league" - plans for which will be released in Croke Park next Monday night - into context.
Crossmaglen have overcome two hurdles already to reach the Ulster club final, but despite their thus-far strong defence of the provincial title, there is no guarantee that the defending champions will play in that decider.
The rather strange situation has arisen because of an edict from the Ulster Council which decrees that whoever wins the Armagh county final between Crossmaglen and Pearse Og will then appear in the provincial final.
"The situation is quite simple: it means that Crossmaglen must win the county final on Sunday," admitted Armagh county secretary Paddy Nugent, "if they are to keep the defence of their title alive."
This state of affairs dates back to a decision to postpone the Armagh championship while the county team sought (unsuccessfully) to win the Sam Maguire during the summer.
It meant the local championship hadn't been completed by the time the provincial campaign got under way, and so the catalyst for the now confusing situation was set. The Armagh County Board was asked to nominate representatives for the Ulster club championship, and holders Crossmaglen, the county nominees, then overcame Gowna and Cargin to progress to the Ulster final.
However, the Ulster Council has since clarified matters and informed the county board that whoever wins the Armagh final must play in the provincial final: which means that if Pearse Og do win Sunday's game, then they will have to also offer thanks to Crossmaglen for providing such a safe passage into a provincial final, even if such a situation would leave some red faces at provincial level.
Crossmaglen do have some good news, however. Oisin McConville, who has been hampered by injury, has been given the all-clear to take his place in attack as Crossmaglen seek to extend their unbeaten championship sequence to two years.
Although there remains considerable anger in Clare about the two-month suspension imposed on goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald by the Munster Council, the sense of injustice hasn't prevented Clare hurlers from making themselves available for the interprovincial series.
Indeed, three Claremen - Alan Markham, Liam Doyle and Niall Gilligan - have been named in the Munster side to take on Ulster at Casement Park on Sunday, while another, Brian Quinn, is included in the substitutes.
Meanwhile, a special meeting of Dublin GAA clubs on Wednesday night voted overwhelmingly to incorporate new structures within the county. Delegates voted by 149 to 64 to replace the Minor and Junior Boards and bring the organisation of those leagues and championships under the umbrella of one county Games Administration Committee.
MUNSTER (SH v Ulster): B Cummins (Tipperary); T Feeney (Waterford), D O'Sullivan (Cork), E Corcoran (Tipperary); L Doyle (Clare), O Moran (Limerick), S Og O hAilpin (Cork); M O'Connell (Cork), T Dunne (Tipperary); A Markham (Clare), F McCormack (Cork), K McGrath (Waterford); S McGrath (Cork), N Gilligan (Clare), J Deane (Cork). Subs: D Og Cusack (Cork), B Quinn (Limerick), L Cahill (Tipperary), D Shanahan (Waterford), B O'Meara (Tipperary), J Moran (Limerick), P Queally (Waterford), M Foley (Limerick).
CONNACHT (SH v Leinster) - Galway unless stated: M Crimmins, L Hodgins, B Feeney, C Moore, P Walsh, N Larkin, P Hardiman, F Flynn, R Gantley, O Canning, J Rabbitte, A Kerins, K Broderick, O Fahy, E Cloonan. Subs: M Healy, M Kerins, D Shaughnessy, D O'Brien, F Healy, V Maher, A Tully (Roscommon), M Cunniffe (Roscommon), P Seevers (Sligo), D Brady (Mayo).
