The GAA will speak to the organisers of the Liam Miller tribute match on Tuesday, but have stressed that this is not an indicator that the game will be hosted at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Michael O'Flynn, chairman of the Liam Miller tribute match organising committee, has confirmed that he will meet with senior GAA officials tomorrow including GAA Árd Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan and President John Horan to discuss the location of the game.
On Saturday, the GAA tweeted: "The GAA President and Ard Stiúrthóir, along with representatives of the Cork Committee, are to seek a meeting with the organising committee of the Liam Miller Tribute Match to discuss issues around the game."
That came after they had released a statement that stressed the GAA is "prohibited in rule" from hosting games other than those under the control of the association in its stadia and grounds.
Calls have intensified for the GAA to relax this rule and allow the game to be played in the 45,000 capacity Páirc this September to accommodate the huge public interest in the event. As it stands, the match will take place in the 7,000 capacity Turner's Cross.
At a meeting of Cork County Council this afternoon, councillors called unanimously on the GAA to allow the match go ahead at the bigger venue.
The GAA President and Ard Stiúrthóir, along with representatives of the Cork Committee, are to seek a meeting with the organising committee of the Liam Miller Tribute Match to discuss issues around the game.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 21, 2018
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1's Today programme with Miriam O'Callaghan, O'Flynn said: "I'm encouraged and I welcome the GAA's [tweet] that the president and director general will meet with us to discuss the matter. I haven't heard anything about that meeting yet.
"I'm hopeful but I don't want to be in any way pre-emptive. I haven't heard from them up to this moment. Some people think a meeting is pending. It isn't actually pending."
However, it's now been confirmed that the GAA will speak to organisers at some point tomorrow.
Also speaking on the Today programme, former Cork football manager Billy Morgan said the saga had left a feeling of embarrassment within the GAA community in the Rebel County.
"My own reaction was one of disgust," he said. "Speaking to fellow GAA members over the weekend, their feelings were the same. We see no reason whatsoever why the game cannot go ahead at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
"Ed Sheeran was there couple of weeks ago. If Ireland had got the Rugby World Cup it was going to go ahead down there. For the life of me I can't understand why it's not allowed to go ahead.
"I used the word embarrassed this morning. Talking to GAA people over the weekend, they also expressed that opinion, that they felt embarrassed by it. It is an embarrassing situation that we do not allow our stadium to be used for a sporting hero of Cork."
The GAA should give the Liam Miller tribute match their "blessing" - Joe Brolly #rtegaa #TheSundayGame pic.twitter.com/GWaIqETqO4
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 22, 2018
Broadcaster Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh echoed those sentiments, adding: "I believed from the start it should have gone ahead. This is not a match. It's a fundraiser for a most worthy cause.
"Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a wonderful venue. Why not show it to people who have never been there before? It would create good will. And above all it would boost the fundraising budget.
"I remember years ago there was a book, and in it there was a question and answer included. Who is my neighbour? And the answer given was, my neighbour is everybody, even those who differ from me in any way. It's a spirit that should decide this. A spirit in the hearts of people."
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Later in the morning the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Mick Finn, said he's now more optimistic that the game will be played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Cllr Finn said his optimism was based on the GAA's willingness to meet organisers.
