ANY COUNTY INTENDING TO return to training before a new date set by the GAA of Saturday, 7 December will be subject to a series of sanctions, as outlined by a letter from the GAA to county boards.

The communication also states that no meetings of a panel are allowed to take place between the dates of 23-27 December, inclusive.

No counties will be permitted to host an intercounty competition in December or January. This was something that has been tried before by Meath under Colm O’Rourke, and previously, the revival of the Ó Fiaich Cup in Ulster that Armagh used in order to assess early season panels.

These measures leave counties such as Galway hurlers and Tyrone footballers with new management in place, and just a few weeks in order to assess the playing base. Also they must prepare for national league fixtures, that are likely to be played in the case of football with significant changes to the rules.

Challenge games will also be forbidden prior to 1 January, 2025.

One collective meeting is permitted ahead of the date of 7 December, and this is for “induction/screening”, while it is insisted upon that this is not to be a field-based session.

For U20 and U17 county squads, no training sessions are allowed before 1 January.

The penalties for breaches of this, as outlined by the communication sent, states, “The Team shall forfeit Home Venue for its next home game in the National League,” for senior county teams.

For all other grades, the team penalty will be disqualification from the competition, and, for the person in charge, a 24-week suspension.

It adds: “In respect of challenge games, teams participating in unauthorised challenge games are not covered by the player injury scheme or under insurance cover. Fines will also be applied to County Committee in accordance with the provisions of our rules for breaches in this context.”