Dublin could enjoy a significant advantage in the new-look All-Ireland SFC group stage by having two home games.
Similar to the ‘Super 8s’ structure that was in place in 2018 and ‘19, teams are due to play one game at home, one away and another at a neutral venue under the new structure.
Back then, Dublin nominated Croke Park, where they have played their home League games since 2011, as their home venue and they also played their designated neutral fixture at GAA headquarters.
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It led to a challenge from Donegal, who had to play their ‘neutral’ game against Dublin at Croke Park in 2018, and though it proved to be unsuccessful, a motion to Congress in 2020 subsequently allowed for neutral games to take place outside of Croke Park.
But with the intervention of the Covid-19 pandemic that year, the ‘Super 8s’ was shelved that year and wasn’t reinstated thereafter.
However, with Dublin certain to nominate Croke Park as their home venue for the round robin stage which kicks in after the provincial championships, GAA officials have stated that the possibility of their neutral fixture also being staged there remains on the table.
The county that is due to play Dublin at a neutral venue would likely insist on it being anywhere but Croke Park but final call would ultimately lie with the Central Competitions Control Committee.
It has also been revealed that the draw for the four groups, each containing four teams, will take place on May 2, before the provincial finals have been played.
The eight teams that reach the provincial finals will be the first and second seeds for the group stages.
Elsewhere, in the event of New York reaching the Connacht final, they would play a full part in the All-Ireland SFC round robin phase.
Meanwhile, in a new departure, the GAA will release squad lists for Championship games every Friday.
Counties are obliged to submit their 26 players by 9am on the Thursday before a Championship game and the list will be issued to the media the following day from this week on.
Managers will still be able to change their starting 15 within the 26 up to 40 minutes before throw-in but will only be allowed to tamper with the list of 26 in exceptional circumstances, such as a bereavement, an injury/illness that is proven by a medical report or if a suspension is applied after the Thursday morning deadline.
To that end, a standby list of four extra players is permitted but they can only be moved into the matchday 26 with approval of the committee in charge and use of an illegal player would lead to forfeiture of the fixture.
There has also been confirmation that the Tailteann Cup semi-finals will take place as standalone fixtures on Sunday, June 25, with the All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals the day before, similar to last year, when the move was widely criticised among the hurling fraternity.
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