ALl-IRELAND SENIOR HURLING RELEGATION SEMI-FINALS:IN A highly-embarrassing scenario for the GAA and just confusing for everyone else, the hurling relegation semi-finals may be abandoned as Antrim were guaranteed three years in the Leinster championship and therefore the All-Ireland series.

According to Wexford hurling manager Colm Bonner, this makes the relegation play-offs “null and void”.

Antrim are due to face Offaly in one semi-final with Clare taking on Wexford in the other. The losers are then to meet in a relegation play-off final. Carlow, as Christy Ring Cup winners, have already been told they will play in the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2010.

The Central Competitions Control Committee stumbled across this anomaly at their fixture meeting yesterday, leading to a delay of several hours in the release of this weekend’s championship fixtures.

As the relegation structures were established at Congress, the CCCC were unable to abandon the matches entirely and pending “clarification” they have been pencilled in for Saturday, July 25th, although it now appears unlikely they will go ahead.

“It is an ill-conceived idea,” said Clare manager Mike McNamara yesterday. “The Antrim position isn’t clear-cut as they have been guaranteed a place in Leinster for three years. That means they can’t be relegated.

“Certainly, Carlow have earned the right to be promoted to the Liam MacCarthy and they should be accommodated.”

McNamara echoed his fellow relegation-threatened managers in noting the serious lack of motivation to play this mini-competition having already lost two championship fixtures.

“When you are knocked out of the championship the stuffing is also knocked out of you. You lose the ability to go to war. We are not being given time to rest, heal and start again.

“The first time I was informed of this was in the dressingroom last Saturday night when I was thanking the players for their contribution this year. Then I was told the year isn’t over.

“It should be put on the shelf. We are currently in limbo. The last thing we want is another game.”

McNamara also commented on the heavy criticism levelled at the Clare set-up, particularly by former manager Ger Loughnane, following the comprehensive 10- point defeat by Galway in Ennis on Saturday.

“We have been rebuilding and it is a difficult process. Some players are not ready but some, as you can see with our full back and some forwards, are ready. This is what happens during a rebuilding process. We have been relying on a lot of the same players; maybe some new players need to show some leadership.”

Meanwhile, the venues and times for the third-round football qualifiers and phase three of the hurling championship have been confirmed (see panel). Semple Stadium in Thurles will host a double header that sees Galway against Cork, preceded by Laois versus Limerick.

The All-Ireland hurling quarter-final matches have all but been confirmed, presuming Limerick overcome Laois despite the loss of Niall Moran to a broken finger, as they cannot be drawn against Waterford again.

This means Waterford play the winners of Galway and Cork (live RTÉ Two at 7pm), while Leinster runners-up Dublin would face Limerick for a place in the All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary.

The second-round qualifier replay between Roscommon and Wexford will take place on Saturday at 3pm at Dr Hyde Park, with this fixture ensuring one of the fourth-round ties and subsequently an All-Ireland quarter-final will be put back a week to August 8th or 9th.

The Leinster minor football final replay between Kildare and Dublin has been fixed for Dr Cullen Park in Carlow next Saturday at 3pm.