The winners of a new development group will earn a preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final spot in the new All-Ireland senior hurling championship if the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) have their way.

It’s a shame it’s not in place for this year, this weekend. Picture it – and with weather like this, it’s so easy to picture it.

It was impossible not to have some empathy and even sympathy for Páraic Duffy yesterday morning.

Tipperary 7-12 Galway 2-12

There’s hardly another GAA weekend like it for stirring so many permutations and palpitations... and exaggerations.

The most successful minor hurling county of the past two decades is pushing for a radical overhaul of the grade’s current All-Ireland championship format.

Today, in Portlaoise, former Tipperary coach Paudie O’Neill will have divided loyalties, part of his heart lying with both Clonmel Commercials and Ballyboden St Enda’s. As always, he’ll see the big picture, the health of the game. As he must in his role as chairman of the Hurling Development Committee.

Hurling Development Committee chairman Paudie O’Neill has slammed the “crazy” practice of third-level colleges enlisting high-profile coaches to oversee their Fitzgibbon and Sigerson teams.

The Munster hurling championship should be run on a round-robin, home-and-away basis to provide more games for players and spectators, says Ger Loughnane.

Former GAA president Nickey Brennan believes it is wrong to suggest Kilkenny are directing calls to make hurling a more physical game.

Former GAA president Nickey Brennan believes Central Council were left in an unenviable position in choosing next year’s National Hurling League format.

Last Saturday up in Croke Park a small group of men were entrusted to make a massively important decision about the future of the game of hurling.

GAA president Liam O’Neill admits the influence of Munster’s Liam MacCarthy Cup counties swung Saturday’s Central Council vote in favour of the Central Competitions Control Committee’s All-Ireland SHC proposal.

GAA director of games administration and player welfare Feargal McGill doesn’t expect the new five-person limit on sideline team personnel to change.

The structure of the All-Ireland SHC is up for discussion this Saturday. John Fogarty takes you through all you need to know about the two proposals...

Dublin are among a number of counties against the GAA’s new guideline to reduce the number of officials on the sideline to five.

Inter-county dual players should be given the opportunity to line out for their football and hurling teams, says GAA president Liam O’Neill.

A number of top hurling managers are angered by the new league system voted in for the 2014 season.

Brian Cody has called for a Champions League-style All-Ireland senior hurling championship.

All but one of Munster’s Liam MacCarthy Cup sides want a return to an eight-team Division 1 hurling league.

Dublin chairman Andy Kettle has criticised Croke Park for what he perceives as them dragging their feet on next year’s proposed Spring Series.

Munster chairman Seán Walsh has welcomed the Hurling Development Committee’s (HDC) proposals to retain the province’s senior championship in its current guise.

Liam Dunne has criticised former GAA president Christy Cooney for not doing enough for hurling.

GAA head of games Pat Daly has hailed the new hurling league format, although he doesn’t rule out changes to it in the near future.

GAA director general Páraic Duffy has described the new Allianz Hurling League divisions 1A and 1B format as a success.

It’s been widely argued that the greatest obstacle to the growth of hurling is the GAA’s other major sport, gaelic football. Yesterday in Croke Park the National Hurling Development Plan was launched, a multi-phased strategy that also includes the growth and promotion of camogie — the battleground? Gaelic football’s heartlands.

The GAA National Hurling Development Plan was officially launched today by GAA President Christy Cooney at Croke Park.

GAA Director General Páraic Duffy has suggested a compromise could be reached on the hurling league row.

BY NOW, the egg-chasing is well under way; interminable weeks of mismatches and dead rubbers before any half-serious participant starts all over again in the quarters.

HIS name will not be familiar to a younger generation of GAA followers outside of Kildare, but Pat Dunny has a list of achievements to his credit which merit special recognition.

THE possibility of four teams from six qualifying for the top-flight hurling division semi-finals could lead to poor leagues, say competition sponsors Allianz.

HIS term as hurling’s missionary — also known as national coordinator — expires this weekend, but Paudie Butler remains true to the creed. “I’m going to commit the rest of my life to supporting coaches and clubs who want to develop hurling. Because I know that we’re winning.”

THIS is unquestionably an outstanding era for the ancient sport of hurling.

GAA President Christy Cooney isamenable to a debate on the feasibility of an open draw in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship.

NED QUINN is the man with the Midas touch.

THE GAA cannot afford to allow the All-Ireland hurling championship become “the preserve of a small number of teams,’’ according to Director General, Páraic Duffy.

THE GAA has to be more proactive in the provision of all-weather floodlit pitches, Kilkenny County Board Secretary, Ned Quinn will tell delegates in his first report to annual convention tomorrow evening.

FORMER Tipperary star and All-Ireland-winning manager Nickey English fears that it may be ‘a struggle’ for the amended structure of the senior hurling championship for the next three years to get through next weekend’s Special Congress in Croke Park.

Galway hurlers have come out in support of the proposed motion which could see the county compete in next year's Leinster Championship.