The Aviva Stadium may be just weeks away from completion, but the GAA seems determined to keep their headquarters, Croke Park, open for the hosting of rugby and soccer international matches.

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

Director of Ireland's Institute of Sport and former GAA President Sean Kelly has spoken out about the Irish rugby team saying that they need to adapt the mindset of the 2007 All-Ireland Senior Football Champions if they are to progress at the World Cup in France.

A presentation to former GAA President Sean Kelly concluded proceedings at last night's opening session of GAA Congress 2007 in Kilkenny.

THE BIGGEST weekend of the 2006 GAA calendar looms large on the horizon, but the questions over relegation, promotion and semi-final spots continue to lie in the shade.

A number of sections of the Croke Park stadium were re-named today at a special ceremony, presided over by out-going GAA President Sean Kelly, the President elect Nickey Brennan and the Association's Director General Liam Mulvihill.

GAA PRESIDENT Sean Kelly last night rejected criticism from Ladies football chief Helen O’Rourke on the timing of this year’s International Rules series.

Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins and Fermanagh defender Barry Owens have been chosen as the Vodafone GAA Players of the Month for February.

THE upholding of the seven appeals from Dublin and Tyrone players by the Central Appeals Committee was clearly embarrassing for the GAA.

Eoin Kennedy picked up his third Vodafone Handballer of the Year award yesterday and GAA President Sean Kelly hailed the Dubliner's achievements as "extraordinary".

Some of the country's leading football managers have weighed in behind GAA President Sean Kelly in backing the current format of the Allianz National League.

JOHN ALLEN believes the Munster and Leinster hurling championships are in serious danger of extinction due to the All-Ireland championship system introduced last year.

MINISTER for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue launched an initiative by Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael to start camogie in Kerry this week.

GAA President Sean Kelly has revealed his desire to honour the memory of Michael Collins by naming a trophy or stadium him.

THE GPA’s commercial director Donal O’Neill is hopeful that the Government can be persuaded to pass legislation early next year that will provide all inter-county hurlers and footballers with annual grants of between €1,000 and €2,500.

GAA President Sean Kelly reckons the Association's new Hurling Development Plan, which will see €2.6m invested in the game, will show the sporting public how serious the GAA are about hurling.

THE GAA’s National Hurling Development Plan, unveiled at Croke Park yesterday, will invest €2.6m into coaching and games initiatives.

THERE was a sensational development at last night’s Meath County Convention in Navan when Fintan Ginnity, chairman for the last 20 years, was defeated by Brendan Dempsey.

MUNSTER Council Chairman Sean Fogarty has responded to recent criticism of the GAA, following what he described as “a miniscule number of isolated disciplinary indiscretions”.

Sharp-shooting Tyrone forward Stephen O'Neill added another award to his growing collection last night (Friday) as he was named the Tennent's Ulster GAA Writers' Footballer of the Year for 2005.

GAA PRESIDENT Sean Kelly explained yesterday why he did not condemn foul play by Australia in the second International Rules test more strongly.

Australia 63 Ireland 42

GAA PRESIDENT Sean Kelly is adamant the interprovincial competitions, sponsored for the third year by Martin Donnelly, have a future.

Even if the Irish football team qualify for a World Cup play-off place by winning tonight’s crunch match against Switzerland, they may be left with nowhere in the country to play the home tie, it emerged today.

GAA chiefs have angrily dismissed suggestions that Croke Park could be available for a World Cup play-off if the Republic of Ireland finish second in Group Four tonight.

AIB are to launch a marketing drive to enhance the profile of the club championships provincially to match the popularity of the competitions at national level.

It has emerged that GAA headquarters Croke Park will not be used in the event of a potential fixtures clash involving the Irish soccer and rugby teams next month.

Northern Ireland's police service could have their training college included in the draw for the 2005/06 Sigerson Cup.

Offaly goalkeeper Paraic Kelly retained the MBNA All-Ireland Kick Fada title in Bray yesterday, with a winning kick of 63 metres.

While an investigation into the misplacing of a thousand tickets for last weekend's All-Ireland hurling final is underway, GAA President Sean Kelly does not expect heads to roll over the incident.

GAA President Sean Kelly expects a "huge task" for Ireland when they go in search of back-to-back International Rules Series wins in October.

GAA President Sean Kelly has defended the Association's decision to play its new competition finals as curtain-raisers to All-Ireland semi-finals.

Brendan O’Brien

Brendan O’Brien

GAA President Sean Kelly broke new ground this afternoon when attending a sponsorship launch hosted by the Gaelic Players' Association at Croke Park.

Colm O’Connor

THE solicitor hired to represent Armagh players Paul McGrane and Ciaran McKeever has warned the GAA that its disciplinary procedures “have been thrown into chaos”.

THE infamous Offaly v Clare affair from 1998 cannot serve as a precedent if Down attempt to have their Christy Ring Cup final replayed, according to GAA President Sean Kelly.

On-fire Tyrone forward Stephen O'Neill has landed another Tennents/Ulster GAA Writers' Monthly Merit award - his third in the space of seven months.

KILKENNY appear set to move Tommy Walsh back into defence for their Guinness All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Galway next Sunday.

GAA President Sean Kelly is adamant that the future of the controversial Tommy Murphy Cup is secure.

The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) has admitted tonight that they played no part in the player endorsement which saw Cork hurlers' Kieran Murphy and Niall McCarthy come under fire in the aftermath of Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.