With the Ryder Cup coming to the K Club next year, the GAA have confirmed the 2006 All-Ireland hurling and football finals will be moved from the traditional second and fourth Sundays in September to the first and third Sundays.

This is the first Ryder Cup in Ireland - Straffan, Co Kildare - and the September 22nd to 24th schedule overlaps with the football final.

Instead, the hurling final will now take place on September 3rd with the football a fortnight later on September 17th - both at Croke Park. This is a return to the old system that changed in 1997, when the backdoor system was introduced in hurling to allow beaten finalists in Leinster and Munster to remain in the championship.

Meanwhile, the Croke Park stadium management committee have responded to the speculation regarding the state of the new surface by confirming it will be ready for Sunday's National Football League semi-final between Mayo and Armagh, which is preceded by the Leinster under-21 final replay between Kildare and Dublin.

A statement confirmed "they are satisfied with progress in relation to the new playing surface which they have assured supporters will be ready".

Players present in Croke Park this week questioned the shortness of the grass but also placed their thrust in the expert decision of the management committee.

Tickets for Sunday are currently on sale from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

They are also available at the ticket office in Croke Park from 11am today and Saturday along with regular outlets around the ground on the day.

The under-21 match starts at 1.45pm and is followed by the league semi-final at 3.30.