GAELIC GAMES SHORTS

THE CPA has drawn up eight motions total which will be debated at county conventions, two seeking the All-Ireland quarter-finals stages in both championships be concluded by the second Sunday in July. The aim is to set out a defined mid-summer window for club fixtures. If passed, it would represent a considerable tightening of the All-Ireland SFC, which next season will see the final round of the Super 8s played on the first Sunday in August. Another motion seeks to beef up the GAA’s proposal that the month of April be reserved for clubs.

DUBLIN’S Michael Darragh MacAuley is the latest GAA player to move up to Basketball Ireland men’s Super League status. He officially tips off a Super League career with Eanna in UCD tomorrow evening at 8pm. MacAuley has been playing basketball for many years and joins footballers Kieran Donaghy (Tralee) and Aidan O’Shea (Sligo) in the National League, with match ups against Donaghy set for after Christmas. championship will be named in honour of the late former President Joe McDonagh. The charismatic Galway man, who won an All-Ireland title in 1980, passed away in May of last year and the Association has paid tribute to his memory by calling the new competition Corn Seosamh Mhic Dhonnacha.

THE annual six-figure salaries paid to senior GPA staff were determined by a ‘benchmarking’ process according to GPA secretary and Dublin star Paul Flynn. Almost €500,000 was paid to just four members of the GPA’s 12-strong staff in 2016. ‘You have to pay people what the market rate is,’ said Flynn. ‘Every role is benchmarked by an independent compensation benefits consultant. The GPA’s annual report published earlier this month revealed that €921,121 was spent on staff wages, with €490,418 of that ear-marked for ‘key’ management personnel.