A leading GAA official has called for the abandonment of the International Rules series. Tyrone county secretary Dominic McCaughey, in his annual report to next Sunday's county convention, says the international project "does nothing to further the promotion or development of Gaelic football" and that it is time "to declare that there is no future in this type of series".

Apparently unaware that the series has been extended until 2005, McCaughey says: "As Cumann Luthchleas Gael enters the fourth and final year of the current involvement with the AFL, it would now seem to be an appropriate time to set up a special work group to consider future links".

Acknowledging that the series provides an opportunity for players to represent their country, McCaughey adds: "This apart, it is difficult to pinpoint any other advantages that have accrued to the association."

The international series has been regarded as a great success in popular terms, as reflected in record attendances during the last two series. In that respect, Ireland's poor showing last October was badly timed, with a record defeat coming in front of 57,000 people. McCaughey questions the substance behind these figures.

"The recent games have been heavily promoted and have attracted large attendances . . . but one wonders whether spectators have travelled on the basis of the curiosity factor; many have indicated that, having seen what was on offer, they would not make a second visit to one of these games."

This is a curious argument, in that the attendances at the four Tests played in Dublin since 1998 have risen steadily in overall terms by more than 250 per cent.

On the question of discipline, he makes the point that the games are a bad example: ". . . it was most disheartening to witness incidents of wanton violence and even thuggery in the latest series with no apparent penalties being imposed. What message does this transmit to young, impressionable players?"

In fact there were penalties imposed, and this might be a sore point in the county because Tyrone's Peter Canavan recently picked up a one-match suspension for any future series after being sent off in the second test along with Jason Akermanis, who received a two-match ban.

He also questions the recruitment of Irish players by the AFL. "Are the series to be used by the AFL as a scouts' bonanza, where the best players can be identified for coaxing to Australia; what benefits have there been to the GAA and its clubs in Australia; what is the objective in players being selected . . . in an artificial game that is not played at club, college, county or provincial level?"

Meanwhile, Dublin footballer Paddy Christie has announced that he may be out of action for four months in order to rest a groin injury which has dogged him over the past season.