The GAA will gather in Mayo this weekend for the 2022 Annual Congress. There are serious matters to debate and friendships as well as rivalries to be renewed after too long apart.

In total there are 48 motions to be put to the floor and debated, with some taking up more publicity over the past weeks than others.

Here is a guide to some of those you might be interested in looking out for…

Motion One A New All Ireland Football Championship structure

After different options were rejected at last year’s special congress, the Associations Ard Comhairle has returned with one motion and one option.

The Allianz League and the Provincial Championships will be retained and then be followed by a tiered All Ireland series.

There would be four groups of four teams comprising the eight provincial finalists and the next eight teams in league performance. The four winners progress straight to the quarter-finals with playoffs among the second and third-placed teams for the other four spots.

The next 16 teams in League ranking will go into four similar groups for the Tier 2 Tailteann Cup.

It guarantees at least three games in a national series for every county and the prevailing mood seems to be that this will be passed.

Motion 27 Black Cards and Penalties

This would make permanent the trial where a black card and a penalty would be awarded in the case of foul play that prevented a goal-scoring opportunity. It is refined though so that the incident must be within 20 metres of the goal and no nearer than 25 metres to either sideline, effectively creating a penalty zone beyond the penalty box.

Motion 30 Sliotar Chips

A tighter definition on the make up of a sliotar and allowing for the introduction of chips into sliotars used in official games.

Motion 33 Integration

The Gaelic Players Association motion calling for greater integration between the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association. In itself, it will not force any change but if it were not to be passed overwhelmingly it would be a huge disappointment and almost inexplicable to an external audience. The Camogie Association has announced today that it will bring a similar motion to its Congress at the start of April.

Motion 34 Alcohol, Gambling and Drugs

This has been submitted by Rathdowney-Errill GAA Club and calls on players in a Championship squad to be required to complete awareness courses in these three vices or to face a one-match ban.

We will cover the Congress outcomes in full on Monday.