GAA president Jarlath Burns has admitted that last Sunday’s Central Council vote on flipping this weekend’s football and hurling schedule ‘became a contest’ between the two codes.

Wexford had sought to have the All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals moved from Saturday to Sunday to avoid a clash with the All-Ireland Féile na nGael finals they are hosting on Saturday. That would have meant that the two Tailteann Cup semi-finals at Croke Park would have been removed from their prime Sunday afternoon slot.

However, at a specially convened Central Council meeting, the Wexford motion got 57 per cent, just short of the 60 per cent required.

It means that the dates and games now remain as per the master fixture plan with the Wexford v Clare and Dublin v Cork All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals taking place on Saturday  in Thurles and the Sligo v Down and Antrim v Laois Tailteann Cup semi-finals being played in Croke Park on Sunday.

"We have five hurling games left and three of those are going to be on a Saturday, we have 14 football matches," Burns said on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland programme on Monday.

"Really, last night it became a contest between which are we going to nurture and promote more. It put Ard Chomhairle in a terrible position because it’s two competitions we do want to promote and we do want to nurture."

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