Gaelic Games: Kevin Walsh is back in training with All-Ireland champions Galway and will be on the bench for Sunday's National Football League match against Tyrone in Ballinasloe.
Problems, however, remain over his ability to commit himself to another season with the county. An All Star centrefielder in both of Galway's recent championship triumphs, his work demands as a Garda currently preclude him from guaranteeing his presence throughout the year ahead. In the meantime he is attending training and hoping to be in a position to clarify his position as soon as possible, according to team manager John O'Mahony.
"Kevin rejoined us this week and we are hopeful that things will work out as the season progresses," he said, "but he'll be in the subs for Sunday."
The team for Sunday sees the return of last year's Footballer of the Year Declan Meehan at wing back and eight of his starting All-Ireland colleagues in the line-up. All Star corner back Kieran Fitzgerald is at centre back as the team's other retirement imponderable - Tomás Mannion - is not expected to return to training until later in the league campaign.
With Alan Kerins's dual career apparently over given the Galway hurlers' desire that he concentrate on one code for the season ahead, O'Mahony is looking at another big hurling name, 1999 All-Ireland winning minor captain John Culkin who plays football for Monivea. "I've been looking at John," said O'Mahony, "but it would be more with the under-21s in mind."
For Tyrone, Ciaran Meenagh comes in at half back for the honeymooning Declan McCrossan. The team is otherwise the same as that selected to face Roscommon in last weekend's postponed tie.
Meanwhile a dispute is in the offing between RTÉ and the GAA over the issue of digital broadcasting of matches. This has emerged as the GAA consults its entitlements under the most recent round of television rights, concluded a year ago. Central to the matter is RTÉ's sale of its digital output to satellite broadcaster Sky. This would enable the Irish station's output to be seen on satellite.
The problem arises in relation to the live screening of matches, as RTÉ holds only the domestic rights to such broadcasts. Even were sale of the decoders to be confined to Ireland, the potential for piracy would still be sufficient to make a dent in the GAA's pay-per-view revenue operated on its behalf by Setanta Sport, which holds the overseas rights to the GAA's matches.
This matter arose last year in advance of the All-Ireland hurling final when BBC Northern Ireland's cameras were not allowed into Croke Park until an undertaking was given that the broadcast would be blacked out on BBC's digital service to prevent it being seen in Britain.
"We would definitely feel we have an interest to protect," said a source in the GAA. Global rights revenue comes mainly from two markets, Britain and North America, and any undermining of either would be costly. As the association intensifies its effort to expand commercial income - as opposed to gate receipts - as a proportion of its income, media rights have become comfortably the second biggest source of revenue after match income.
In the last set of accounts published, gate receipts accounted for virtually £9,000,000 of annual income ( 67 per cent) while media rights raised £2,500,000 (19 per cent).
Finally, there was a return to familiar surroundings for the staff of GAA headquarters yesterday when the association's administration moved its offices from nearby temporary accommodation and relocated to Croke Park.
The new headquarters is at the back of the Canal End Stand and marks the first time the GAA staff have been in the one complex for nearly two and a half years. The move came about when the redevelopment of the old Hogan Stand necessitated the demolition of Ceannárus. Some of the staff moved to Westward House in Russell Street while the accounts department was housed in the Museum complex beneath the New Stand.
The new offices will be the headquarters of the GAA for the foreseeable future unless the Sports Campus Ireland project takes shape. Originally conceived as part of the Stadium Ireland development, the campus was intended to house the central administra tive offices of all Irish sporting bodies.
GALWAY (SF v Tyrone): A Keane; M Comer, G Fahey, R Fahey; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, M Colleran; S Ó Domhnaill, J Bergin; P Clancy, J Fallon, M Clancy; D Savage, K Comer, T Joyce. Subs: To be announced.
TYRONE (SF): P Ward; C Gormley, C Lawn, B Robinson; R McMenamin, S Teague, C Meenagh; C McAnallen, J Quinn; B Dooher, S O'Neill, G Cavlan; P Canavan, K Hughes, S Kavanagh.
