GAELIC GAMES/News: The weaker hurling teams could be well served by players from neighbouring counties who aren't selected for their own panels, according to GAA president Seán Kelly. Up to now, the idea of players crossing county boundaries if they're not making their own panels hasn't gained formal GAA approval.

Kelly made this point yesterday after announcing details of the new Tier Two and Tier Three hurling championships, which will be played for the first time next summer. He described the new competitions as "essential" for the long-term health of hurling, but that further changes, such as the use of players from neighbouring counties, will also need to be considered.

"We have to look at all of these options," said Kelly. "I was a bit surprised that the weaker counties committee that we set up didn't recommend that players should cross county boundaries, but they'll be meeting again in the New Year.

"There is no doubt that it would be a great boost to have a notable name from another county coming into the set-up. They would bring skills and expertise that mightn't be there. And I'm certainly open to all suggestions."

Most of the leading hurling counties, such as Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork and Galway, turn away several top-class players every season because they are just marginally short of the making their grade at the various levels of championship hurling. The idea would be for a player from Cork, for example, to have the option of playing for Kerry, without it infringing upon his club status.

Kelly also outlined what he believed the new championship format would do in improving the interest of hurling in the weaker counties.

"It was quite obvious that many counties were finding it harder and harder to compete," he explained, "and we even saw last year that some didn't even compete in the All-Ireland B special competition.

"The fortunes of the game were only going to get worse rather than better. If you want to compete for the top prizes it takes great commitment and motivation, and it's essential there is hurling in the summer months when the game should be played. The system provides us with those games. It gives a profile that wasn't there before and a reward that was also missing in the past."

But the GAA president made it clear that much more work has to be done if hurling is to survive outside of its strongholds. "On it's own this won't stop the slide of hurling, but in conjunction with the hurling plan that we'll be launching in the New Year it can certainly arrest this slide and hopefully turn it around.

"It is essential that hurling is played on a far more widespread basis than it is at the moment, and for that to happen you have to have it healthy from top to bottom. It's no good dealing with the top and ignoring the bottom, and hopefully with the money that we're getting from the Government we'll be able to do both.

"So this can't be a cosmetic exercise that gets players out on the field for a year or two. It has to be driven through coaching and games over a sustained period."

In football news, meanwhile, the Tipperary County Board have formally ratified their new senior management team, concluding the managerial changes for another season.

The selection team of Séamus McCarthy (manager), Colm O'Flaherty, Jim Healy and John Owens was ratified without objection for a two-year term with a review after one year. The same management team will also take charge of the Tipp under-21 footballers for 2005.

After a troubled year for football in the county, Tipperary county board chairman Donal Shanahan expressed the wish that everyone could now move on in the interest of Tipperary, and that the senior football panel can be finally reorganised in preparation for the National League.