It is envisaged that the wearing of face guards will be compulsory in hurling at all levels within three years.

This weekend's annual GAA congress is to debate the imposition of this requirement on all grades up to minor. The motion's main sponsor feels that should this move be successful, a general requirement will follow.

There has been criticism from the medical profession of the GAA's failure to make face guards compulsory but within the association there is a strong belief that it wouldn't be possible to get blanket enforcement through Congress.

Dr Con Murphy chairs the GAA's Medical Committee, which has put forward three motions this weekend: on the helmet issue, the introduction of out-of-competition drug testing and sanctions against players refusing to leave the field with blood injuries.

Asked his opinion of the time frame in which face guards might be made mandatory at all levels, he said: "Within three years I think would be feasible. But this has come up twice before at congress and been hammered. Our proposal is a compromise, which won't please everyone, including eye specialists who have spoken out on the issue. But I'm a realist who's been involved for a long time and I think the under-18 proposal has some chance."

Already there is evidence that younger players are far more likely to wear protective headgear than older players. But at no level is there currently 100 per cent compliance.

"It's most unusual to see anyone without one but I'd like to make it mandatory in matches and in training, anything that involves hurling practice. It has to be done. I've three kids myself and wouldn't let them out without protection. Another thing is that you don't see many goalies wearing helmets. They tend not to although they're more at risk than anyone."

Although the measure has been thrown out by previous Congresses, Murphy says that he has yet to hear a serious argument against its introduction. "Some people just don't like the concept of there being danger in hurling but I genuinely can't see how you can argue against it for under-18s. This proposal could make the game almost foolproof against serious injury. I'm involved with Cork teams since 1976 and I've seen far more serious injuries in football but hurlers are always at risk from eye injuries. In that time two players on the county hurling panel have lost the sight in one eye.

"There are inherent risks in all sports but hurling now has the opportunity to prevent serious injury."

It has been claimed that the GAA avoided a move of this nature because there would be legal consequences should players sustain injuries while not wearing helmets. In other words the GAA would be liable for negligence in not enforcing its own rules.

Motion one on the weekend's clár provides, however, for referees not to allow matches to proceed if any players aren't wearing appropriate headgear.

The appropriateness of the equipment is an important issue and Murphy accepts that there will have to be strictly enforced specifications for manufacturers. It will also entail addressing the manner in which some players modify helmets to suit their own taste.

"A lot of senior players doctor the bars and lose full protection by doing so," says Murphy. "I remember Brian Corcoran picking up a serious eye injury when a ball flew through the face guard because he'd removed some of the bars. The match was stopped and he had to go to hospital. Helmets should be fully protective."

The other motions from the Medical Committee are equally straightforward, if less contentious. Drug testing will be extended to out-of-competition situations but only at training sessions. Testers will not call to players' homes or places of work.

"People have made the argument about professionals and amateurs," says Murphy, "but when it comes to drugs we're all the same and have to protect ourselves. I think the initial panic has died down and players now understand that they have to ask about anything they take.

"That's my approach in Cork. I don't hand out leaflets; I just ask the players to check with me before taking medication or anything. Anyone at this stage taking something without checking with a qualified person is a fool."