NATIONAL LEAGUES: THE GAA has finalised details of next year's National League fixtures. There is the usual number of floodlit fixtures on Saturday evenings with Dublin and Armagh getting the NFL's Division One off to a start on Saturday, February 5th, together with All-Ireland finalists Down and Mayo, now under the new management of James Horan.

In the National Hurling League a week later it will be a reprise of the All-Ireland final with Tipperary scheduled to face Kilkenny in Thurles on Saturday, February 12th, presumably under lights. The counties had a similar, ill-starred fixture in last season’s league, which had to be postponed twice because of snow before finally being staged on a Sunday afternoon.

The All-Ireland hurling champions will play their first three fixtures on Saturday, facing Dublin and Waterford on February 19th and March 5th respectively. Newly promoted Wexford open their Division One campaign with a tough fixture, a visit to NHL holders Galway.

Cork footballers, All-Ireland champions and also holders of the NFL, open their defence with a trip to intense rivals Kerry on the first weekend, playing on Sunday February 6th. In the next round the champions will renew acquaintance with Dublin, who they pipped in this year’s All-Ireland semi-final. The match will be played on Saturday February 19th in Dublin.

As of yet there are no indications as to whether Dublin are to play any of their fixtures under the Croke Park lights, as happened twice in recent years against Tyrone, who face next season in Division Two.

The National Leagues are still subject to the GAA’s current three-year deal on broadcasting rights, which will be up for renegotiation in the coming months, with Setanta having access to Saturday floodlit fixtures and TG4 to Sunday afternoons. Last year Setanta gave viewers a choice, showing two live matches, one on the more widely available Setanta Sports Ireland and the other on Setanta Sports One.