The GAA have paused all under-20 and minor intercounty competitions and cancelled the Cork versus Longford match in the Allianaz Football League.
The decision has been in taken in light of the government's decision to move to level 5 of the Covid-19 restrictions which do not come into effect until midnight.
That means that this evening’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U20 hurling fixtures will proceed but the EirGrid under-20 football final between Dublin and Galway scheduled to take place on Saturday has been psotponed.
"Following clarification from the Department of Sport around the staging of inter-county fixtures, the GAA can confirm that as of midnight this evening, all minor and U20 inter-county competitions are paused until further notice," reads the official GAA statement.
"Accordingly, Saturday’s scheduled EirGrid GAA U20 football final meeting of Dublin and Galway will not take place. This evening’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U20 hurling fixtures will proceed.
"Additionally, the GAA's CCCC has been informed that Longford will not be fulfilling their Allianz Football League fixture with Cork this weekend."
Tonight's games in round one of the Bord Gais Leinster under-20 Hurling Championship, Antrim host Dublin, Carlow go to Laois and Offaly entertain Westmeath with all matches throwing in at 7.oopm.
In the event of a drawn match there will be extra-time and there must be a winner on the night.
Meanwhile the GAA confirmed that Longford's home match against Cork in Division Three of the Allianz Football League is cancelled after the home team took the decision yesterday to concede the match.
“Anywhere that there is a dead rubber game, we shouldn’t be playing them – it’s as simple as that,” Longford manager Padraic Davis said to the Irish Examiner, stressing his belief that it would be an unnecessary trip for Cork to make during Level 5 restrictions.
“So if you have a team that is already promoted or relegated, and the result of their game doesn’t have an effect on promotion or relegation, it shouldn’t be played. We’re in a pandemic so it makes no sense at all to play them.”
That means that Down are promoted to Division Two. Even if they lost their last match to Louth and Derry joined them on 9 points with a win against Offaly, Down have the advantage on the head-to-head against their Ulster rivals.
