Three of the four provincial councils have finalised their dates and venues for next year's football and hurling championship.
Munster met last night to set their dates ahead of today's meeting of the Central Games Administration Committee (CGAC), but most venues are predetermined.
The main surprise has been Leinster's decision to fix their hurling semi-finals for "provincial" venues. Kilkenny will meet Westmeath or Dublin at either Mullingar or Parnell Park on Saturday, June 10th, while Wexford will play Offaly or Laois at Nowlan Park the following day.
Clearly, Croke Park was no longer seen as an option for the semi-finals. Last year's double header between Kilkenny and Offaly and Wexford and Laois drew just 23,346 - well below what was deemed economically viable for opening Croke Park.
The two preliminary matches, between Offaly and Laois and Dublin and Westmeath, will be played as a double header in Portlaoise on May 21st.
The main surprise on the football front has been Leinster's decision to set Dublin's quarter-final against Longford for Pearse Park.
It will be Longford's first home championship match in six years and follows a special request from their county board to consider the provincial venue rather than set it for Croke Park, typically home to all Dublin's championship matches.
Recent development work has left Pearse Park with a capacity of around 18,000, which may not satisfy all the Dublin supporters but will obviously entice a stronger Longford presence.
Leinster in fact voted 25-2 to give Longford the home advantage. Dublin last played Longford in the qualifiers in 2004, when they easily beat them 1-17 to 0-11, while Longford were last victorious against Dublin back in 1970.
There had been speculation Croke Park would be used less by Leinster next year, and yet the first-round meeting of Wicklow and Carlow, set for Wexford Park, and the meeting of Laois and Wicklow/Carlow are the only other games fixed for elsewhere.
The other first-round matches (Westmeath against Offaly and Meath against Louth) will be played in Croke Park as a double header on May 14th.
A recent Central Council meeting did recommend more qualifier matches be played outside Croke Park, as this year's series would have shown a deficit were it not for the draw and replay between Tyrone and Dublin, both of which filled the stadium.
Ulster's football championship is the most straightforward in that the first teams drawn were entitled to home advantage.
The preliminary-round meeting of Down and Cavan on May 7th is almost certain to be played in Newry, pending final approval of the venue.
Newry has undergone major redevelopment recently, and the Down County Board are eager to take advantage of the home draw.
Armagh, however, will have to surrender their home advantage to Monaghan as the Athletic Grounds are still undergoing a revamp.
Fermanagh will be at home to Antrim, as will Tyrone against Derry.
"There could still be a bit of tweaking to be done," explained Ulster Council chairman Michael Grennan.
"The work at Newry for example is ongoing so that game may yet have to go to a neutral venue such as Clones."
The Ulster final is set for July 9th, but a decision on whether that game will be brought to Croke Park for a third successive year will only be made after the semi-final pairings are known.
As things stand, however, Croke Park would be available, as the Leinster football final is set for July 16th, and the hurling final will be played on July 2nd.
In Connacht, the preliminary matches were already predetermined in that Roscommon will travel to Gaelic Park to play New York, while Mayo are away to London.
Galway will have home advantage for their meeting with Sligo, as will Leitrim for the likely visit of Mayo.
Munster's draw in the past has been largely based on home-away agreements.
In Munster hurling, however, such arrangements have been done away it, so Clare will meet Cork in a semi-final at a neutral venue.
"We haven't got a home-away agreement any more," explained Clare press officer Des Crowe. "It's set for a neutral venue, and I can say from a Clare point of view that we will be pushing for the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. And I suspect Cork will be pushing for Thurles.
"The situation with our footballers is a little different in that we will be away to Limerick this time, having played them in Ennis in our last meeting. And if we do progress to meet Cork that will be played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh."
Tipperary will have home advantage for their hurling quarter-final against Limerick, but the semi-final meeting with Waterford will go to a neutral venue - most likely Cork.
Munster chairman Simon Moroney admitted the draw was relatively straightforward.
"There really aren't that many options for change this year," he said. "At this stage it's more about fixing games for the most suitable dates to avoid too much overlap with the other provinces."
Meanwhile, the GAA museum at Croke Park will host a lecture to commemorate the 85th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when 13 people were shot dead in the stadium.
The event will take place on Monday next, November 21st, at 7pm and speakers on the night will include GAA historian Marcus de Búrca, Diarmaid Ferriter (St Patrick's College, Drumcondra), Brian Hanley (NUI Maynooth) and Jimmy Wren.
Admission is €5 for adults and €4 for students, senior citizens and unwaged.
For reservations and further information phone the GAA museum at 01 8192323 or email gaamuseum@crokepark.ie.
ULSTER
Senior Football Championship
May 7th (preliminary round): Down v Cavan, Down or neutral venue
May 14th: Armagh v Monaghan (B), Clones
May 21st: Fermanagh v Antrim (C), Enniskillen
May 28th: Tyrone v Derry (D), Omagh
June 4th: Donegal v Down/Cavan (E), Ballybofey or Breffni Park
June 11th: Semi-final: (B) v (C)
June 18th: Semi-final: (D) v (E)
July 9th: Final
Senior Hurling Championship
May 14th: Antrim v London, Ruislip
May 21st: Down v Antrim/London, Casement Park May 21st: Derry v New York, Gaelic Park, New York
June 4th: Final
LEINSTER
Senior Football Championship
May 14th: Westmeath v Offaly, Meath v Louth, both Croke Park
May 21st: Wicklow v Carlow, Wexford Park
May 28th: Westmeath/Offaly v Kildare Meath/Louth v Wexford, both Croke Park
June 4th: Wicklow/Carlow v Laois, Dr Cullen Park or Portlaoise; Longford v Dublin, Pearse Park
June 18th: Westmeath/Offaly/Kildare v Meath/Louth/Wexford, Croke Park
June 25th: Wicklow/Carlow/Laois v Longford/Dublin, Croke Park
July 16th: Final, Croke Park
Senior Hurling Championship
May 21st: Offaly v Laois, Westmeath v Dublin, both Portlaoise
June 10th: Westmeath/Dublin v Kilkenny, Mullingar or Parnell Park
June 11th: Offaly/Laois v Wexford, Nowlan Park
July 2nd: Final, Croke Park
CONNACHT
Senior Football Championship
May 14th (preliminary round): New York v Roscommon, Gaelic Park
May 21st: Galway v Sligo, Pearse Stadium
May 28th: London v Mayo, Ruislip
June 18th: New York/ Roscommon v Galway/Sligo, Hyde Park
June 25th: Leitrim v Mayo/London, Carrick-on-Shannon
July 16th: Final
