Such a pity. Such a wasted opportunity. Twenty of the 65 motions to be debated at GAA Congress on Saturday week are changes to the playing rules as proposed by clubs. They won’t be afforded another such opportunity until 2020.

Debutant goalkeeper David Hanrahan is one of eight changes on the Cork football side for Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Tyrone at Páirc Uí Rinn next weekend.

Lately in the pages of this newspaper, you may have seen a lengthy interview with Jim Nolan, the Waterford playwright.

The introduction of an independent time clock for senior inter-county football championship games, which was passed at last month’s GAA Congress, will be extended to hurling matches, it has been revealed.

GAA Director General Pauric Duffy has revealed his annual report to Congress this morning at a press briefing at Croke Park.

The first step has been made to allow GAA grounds be made available for the IRFU to launch a bid to stage the 2023 World Cup in Ireland.

GAA President Liam O'Neill has vowed to bring a motion to next year's GAA Congress in Derry to eradicate all forms of abuse in the Association.

Seanie Johnston faces a race against time if he is to have the option of lining out for the Kildare senior footballers this year.

FORMER Meath senior football boss Eamonn Barry was prevented from running for the position of coaching officer at the annual convention in Navan on Saturday.

A COUPLE of weeks ago, Shay Livingstone was chatting to a friend about his impending move from Cork to Galway.

Laois native Liam O'Neill will succeed Christy Cooney as President of the GAA in 2012.

FORMER Cork All-Ireland-winning captain Larry Tompkins believes a victory for Cork in next Sunday’s NFL Division 1 decider against Mayo in Croke Park would be a huge boost after the championship victories they have suffered at the venue in recent years.

DELEGATES at the Saturday session of annual GAA Congress in Newcastle, Co Down, were more amenable to agreeing recommended changes in hurling than football.

A GLUTTON for punishment surely, Seamas O’Brien heads off to Down this weekend for his 54th consecutive annual GAA Congress, that great two-day talk-fest when the massive wheels of the GAA can be at their most grindingly slow.

DELEGATES at next month’s annual GAA Congress in Down face a mammoth session with 123 motions down for consideration.

The GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship may face its eighth change in 13 years if delegates at next month's GAA Congress in Newcastle, Co Down decide to overturn a vote taken at Special Congress last October.

MUNSTER GAA chief executive Pat Fitzgerald has described the recent trend of inter-county conflicts involving players and management as a ‘disturbing one’ and insists a National agreement between the GAA and GPA is the best method to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

TIPPERARY GAA chiefs have decided that they will enter a team in this year’s Munster intermediate hurling championship but only on the proviso that there will be an overhaul to the intermediate hurling and junior football championships at national level for the 2011 season.

A DUBLIN motion aimed at securing a second chance for provincial champions if they lose at the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final stage has been passed at the county’s annual convention.

An open meeting is being held in Antrim tonight for GAA players, coaches and supporters who are opposed to the €3.5m grant scheme for elite inter-county stars.

Delegates at the GAA Congress in Kilkenny have today voted against a motion from Athenry GAA club to stop the participation of Colleges and Universities in the club championships.

TWELVE months on from the landmark decision to open up Croke Park to rugby and soccer, another issue will dominate this weekend’s annual GAA Congress, in the Great Southern Hotel in Killarney.

A REVOLUTIONARY proposal that would permit players from the leading hurling areas to play at inter-county level with “weak” counties will be put before next month’s annual GAA Congress in Killarney.

The Cork County Board has voted against changing the controversial Rule 42 and opening up Croke Park to other sports.

The Limerick County Board last night backed opening up Croke Park for rugby and soccer, overruling the stance taken at the county's convention.

THE annual GAA Congress will debate the opening up of Croke Park to other sports, it emerged last night.

IN the absence of any motions on Rule 42, governing the use of Croke Park for other sports, the big issue facing delegates at this week’s annual GAA Congress in Killarney relates to the format of the All-Ireland hurling championship over the next two seasons and possibly beyond.

THE Taoiseach last night told GAA president Seán McCague to reapply for the €40 million grant he had promised to the organisation and that he wanted Croke Park opened up for soccer.