GAA PRESIDENT Nickey Brennan has said the association has been vindicated by the decision of the Disputes Resolution Authority to reject the Of One Belief group's assertion that Government awards for intercounty players contravened Rule 11 of the official guidelines.

Brennan was speaking in advance of the weekend's annual Congress when a motion to pass the player awards will be voted upon. Two other motions against the payment scheme are also on the clár. The opposition to this new departure is adamant the GAA's amateur status is under threat but Brennan vehemently rejects such a stance.

"We made the point all along, both Páraic Duffy and I and others, that we hold Rule 11 and amateur status very dear to our hearts. We were not going to do anything that would undermine that. I think the DRA ruling fully supports the line we are taking there." Brennan defended the right of the Of One Belief group to to seek clarification from the DRA.

"The one great thing about the GAA is we have a lot of different views on a number of things. People held a strong view on this Government funding scheme.

"We have never said anything derogatory about the Of One Belief group. They are good GAA people but we were very sincere about how we went about it. We always had the good of the association at heart in everything we did."

Providing Congress delegates pass motion two, the issue of player grants, which has been on the Gaelic Players Association agenda since 2002, will be finished at least until the Government payments end in 2010.

"Central Council asked us last December to revisit that whole area," continued Brennan. "We sought advice from taxation experts, European law experts and senior council in relation to Rule 11. All that advice was very much in our favour and I suppose now that the DRA have come out very strongly last night with the ruling it has vindicated our position 100 percent."

Brennan also stressed the need for his presidency to complete a number of tasks before he is replaced by one of three candidates - Christy Cooney, Liam O'Neill and Seán Fogarty - in 12 months time, including "To complete reorganisation in Croke Park and, take my word, if that's not done right the repercussions will be very serious down the road. That will take another four or five months to do.

"We have some work to do in terms of hurling championship structure. I'd like to think that can come to a conclusion. . .

"We have the disciplinary aspects of the playing rules that's still to be dealt with at a future Congress, before I leave."

• St Vincent's captain Tomás Quinn and Portumna hurler Andrew Smith were yesterday named the Vodafone players of the month for March.