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

The Dublin Chamber of Commerce tonight called for a directly elected Lord Mayor for the city.

SEAN McCAGUE delivered another anti-professionalism warning to GAA rank and file in Belfast.

THE GAA is often touted as a most democratic organisation.

THE GAA will not present the Amateur Status recommendations for approval at this afternoon’s Central Council meeting. The meeting will be held in-camera.

GOVERNMENT funding, which accounted for almost a third of the overall expenditure was crucial in expediting the €225m redevelopment of Croke Park, outgoing President Sean McCague admitted yesterday.

THIS morning, as leading GAA officials gather in Croke Park for the official opening of the redeveloped Canal End and Hogan Stands, they won’t need reminding the financial outlook is not quite so rosy — with current borrowings in the order of €70 million and no indication when the last phase can be tackled or how it can be paid for.

THE GAA has yet to receive any hard evidence of payments to team managers.

FINANCIAL considerations may well decide any policy change to open up Croke Park to other sports, outgoing president Sean McCague conceded yesterday.

An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has praised outgoing GAA president Sean McCague, insisting the abolition of Rule 21 was a massive step forward.

OUTGOING GAA President Sean McCague was praised by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night for the part he played in the removal of Rule 21 two years ago, which banned members of the police and British Army from membership of the Association.

Minster for Arts, Sports and Tourism John O'Donoghue put personal pressure on GAA President Sean McCague to open up Croke Park as part of the Euro 2008 bid.

THE GAA lacks the leadership and the will to expand hurling, according to Liam Griffin.

Outgoing GAA President Sean McCague has warned county boards around the country to tighten their purse strings or face the consequences.

COUNTY boards have no choice but to tighten their financial belts following the alarming rise in the cost of running championship teams, GAA president Seán McCague said yesterday.

GAA president Sean McCague dismissed suggestions that the GAA’s three-year deal with Toyota, worth €250,000 a year, was a direct response to the GPA’s successful Seat deal.

THE ban on supporters going on to the pitch in Croke Park after major games is to remain, GAA President Sean McCague said yesterday.

CONSUMPTION of alcohol among inter-county players in the GAA has decreased considerably, according to association president Sean McCague.

GRAHAM CANTY’S gem of a goal may linger in the memory much longer than the powerful display which gave Larry Tompkins and his Cork players some small consolation for the manner of their All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kerry.

PRESIDENT Sean McCague believes floodlit games could soon be an integral part of the GAA season.

ONE of the biggest challenges facing the GAA will be to strike a balance between inter-county and club activity in a manner that will not undermine financial stability.

SEAN McCAGUE does not believe inter-county players will ever down tools in pursuit of better conditions.

2002 Allstars 13-18

Jim O’Sullivan

CHRISTMAS Day may be a full week away but the GAA is unlikely to receive a more welcome boost over the festive season than yesterday’s news that Bank of Ireland would be continuing it’s SFC sponsorship for a further four years until 2007.

GAA president Sean McCague has sympathised with the failed Celtic Euro 2008 bid but argued the GAA played by the rules all along.

THE controversial rule passed at the recent Special Congress restricting players under 16 to activity at just one level above their age group, has been deferred.

THE Government's request to the GAA for the use of Croke Park for the 2008 European Soccer championships will not be debated at this weekend's GAA Special Congress.

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.

THE GAA is in no hurry to respond to the Government's request for Croke Park to be made available for the 2008 European Soccer championships, association chiefs said yesterday.

SEAN MCCAGUE admits to certain concerns about Ireland’s chances of winning the upcoming International Rules Series against Australia in Croke Park.

THE FAI and bid organisers remain confident of landing the European Championship for Ireland and Scotland even though the GAA is adamant it will not make Croke Park available for the event.

GAA President Sean McCague has reiterated that any joint bid from Ireland and Scotland for Euro 2008 involving the use of Croke Park is an invalid one.

THE GAA insisted last night the Government’s multi-million euro grant package towards the redevelopment of Croke Park came with no strings attached.

THE GAA last night rebuffed a request by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to help rescue the Irish-Scottish bid for the 2008 European soccer championships.

THE intervention of GAA president Seán McCague and the management committee in Croke Park has resulted in Tipperary’s John Boland missing out on the greatest day in his sporting life.

The decision to overturn a red card in a Tipperary MFC match is likely to be dramatically reversed again.

The GAA says it is happy with the Minister for Communication’s plans to draw up a list of sporting events which must remain on terrestrial TV.

GAA president Sean McCague has cleared the way for Kerry captain Daragh O’Se to play for his county in this weekend’s All-Ireland football semi-final against Cork in Croke Park.

GAA president Sean McCague is to scrutinise a number of recent County Board decisions which saw red-carded players escape without any suspensions.