The GAA today released their 'Master Fixtures' plan for 2005, incorporating all inter-county senior championship and Allianz league fixtures for the coming year.
The league will commence on Friday, February 4, when Cork will play Kerry under floodlights at Páirc Uí Rinn.
On Saturday, February 5, Dublin will meet Mayo in Parnell Park in the first ever league game under lights at the venue. The remainder of the first round games will be played on Sunday, February 6.
The hurling league will begin on February 20. Reigning champions Galway will start their campaign at home to Dublin. All-Ireland champions Cork also have a home game against Limerick while last year's beaten league finalists Waterford will play beaten All- Ireland finalists Kilkenny.
The league finals will take place on the same weekend in May, with the football final scheduled for Sunday, May 1 and the hurling final on Bank Holiday Monday, May 2.
In keeping with the changes to the hurling championship structures, there'll be three tiers in this year's hurling championship.
12 teams will participate in the Guinness Hurling championship - Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly, Dublin, Laois, Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Waterford, Clare, Galway and Antrim.
The tier 2 championship will feature Roscommon, Mayo, Westmeath, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, Carlow, Kerry, Derry and Down.
Tier 3 will include Silgo, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Cavan, Tyrone, Donegal, Armagh, London.
In the Bank of Ireland football championship, it was confirmed that the beaten provincial finalists won't be obliged to play in round four of the qualifiers within 13 days of their provincial final.
The All Ireland semi-finals and final of the Under-21 football championship have been brought forward from September/October to April/May this year, with the semi-finals scheduled to take place on April 30 and the All-Ireland final on May 8.
