Former GAA president Nickey Brennan has hailed outgoing director general Páraic Duffy as “by some distance” the best sports administrator in Ireland and beyond over the last decade.

Much has been made of a number of the decisions at last week’s Annual Congress.

Jim Gavin has questioned beginning the league so early in the year. For the second year in succession, Dublin commenced their Division 1 campaign in January much to Gavin’s frustration.

The GPA’s blueprint for the All-Ireland senior football championship “would not have passed” at next month’s Congress, according to GAA director general Páraic Duffy.

Could it be that we aren’t as tight with our old pals Paddy, William, Fred, Boyler and the rest as these guys like to pretend?

REFLECTIONS on the 2015 championships have been under-whelming to say the least. I mightn’t altogether agree with that downbeat assessment, but one has to take the majority view on board and debate what needs to change to improve matters.

On the first Sunday in September, 31 men will take to the pitch in Croke Park to entertain us in the All-Ireland senior hurling final. 

Ten years on, former GAA president Sean Kelly reflects on the opening of Croke Park.

Former Kerry and Munster chairman Seán Walsh will this Wednesday begin in earnest his three-year role as chairman of the national referees development body.

Munster counties’ acute dual club situation could force the GAA to delay plans to implement a calendar season, director general Páraic Duffy has admitted.

The recent appointments of Roisin Jordan and Tracey Kennedy to the chairman and vice-chairman of their respective counties appear to indicate the GAA’s growing acceptance of women in high office.

All in all, Liam O’Neill’s Congress address on Saturday weighed in at 6,649 words.

GAA president-elect Aogán Ó Fearghail has signalled his intention to target male-orientated, single-code clubs to encourage them to cater for more Gaelic games.

Aogán Ó Fearghail last night became the first Cavan man to be voted in as GAA president, highlighting fixtures, finance, facilities and families will be the focus when he takes office in 12 months’ time.

It’s become a custom of the National League’s fixture makers to start the competition with a bang.

No county in the Leinster senior hurling championship should be guaranteed a quarter-final place, insists Carlow chairman Michael Meaney.

Former GAA president Paddy Mac Flynn has passed away, it was announced today.

Peter McKenna leads the way down one of the many corridors that wrap around Croke Park, turns what is almost a hidden corner and swipes his ID card to open a door that looks exactly like all the others.

GAA president, Liam O’Neill confirmed yesterday there has been no indication the debt-burdened Limerick county will require a financial bailout from Croke Park.

GAA President Liam O’Neill won’t be drawn into a war of words with Kilkenny on the sideline regulations issue.

GAA director general Páraic Duffy has bemoaned the fact that neither he nor the GAA president have any say in the venue selection for national games.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is “massively disappointed” with the new regulations governing the numbers of people on the sideline for matches, calling it “a bad, bad rule” which does nothing for hurling.

Paraic Duffy has stressed that the recommendations listed yesterday are being forwarded for football only but admitted that some could be assimilated into hurling in the future.

Kilkenny chairman Paul Kinsella expects the GAA to recognise the efforts of both sets of players in ensuring a money-spinning All-Ireland SHC final replay on September 30.

GAA president Liam O’Neill has suggested he would not be uncomfortable with match officials referring to replays on a giant TV screen when making major calls — so long as the decision reached proved to be correct.

As difficult as it is to believe for such an organisation integral to Irish society, the role of the GAA president remains undefined. Director general Páraic Duffy is widely regarded as the most powerful administrator in Irish sport yet the Uachtarán is viewed by GAA members as the embodiment of the association.

Munster Council chairman, Sean Walsh, will approach the GAA’s Rules Advisory Committee over the coming months to urge them to revamp Gaelic football by experimenting with the abolition of the mandatory pick off the ground with the foot, reintroducing the mark to promote high fielding and trialing an Australian Rules-style tackle.

WEXFORD have upped their campaign to introduce the clock/hooter motion to the GAA.

Decisions made this weekend could help define Christy Cooney’s term as GAA President. John Fogarty reports

WEXFORD clubs are likely to step up their campaign to have the hooter introduced into gaelic games after the county board’s monthly meeting this evening.

CENTRAL COUNCIL could face opposition from Leinster counties after they decided to delay the reintroduction of replays in provincial first round and quarter-final games until next year.

GALWAY camogie manager Noel Finn is hopeful his perfect record in All-Ireland finals will continue when his side face Wexford in tomorrow’s senior decider at Croke Park.

FORMER Munster Council chairman Noel Walsh, one of the driving forces behind the campaign to open Croke Park up to other sports, is confident the GAA will consider future requests for the use of their ground after the completion of the Aviva Stadium redevelopment.