And as president Nickey Brennan said after yesterday's Central Council meeting on league structures, 2007 promises to be one of the most competitive leagues ever, with top-four status in each division carrying special privileges.

There was a proposal that the new four-division format be implemented next year.

However, instead it was decided the new format won't come into operation until 2008, with the top four teams in next year's Division 1A and 1B making up Division One in 2008, the bottom four in each section making up Division Two.

Perhaps the most competitive sections of all though will be next year's Division 2A and 2B sections. Not only will those teams who finish in the bottom four of each division be in the 2008 Division Four, but they will be restricted to participating in only their provincial championships and the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2007, and will not take part in the All Ireland qualifiers unless they reach their provincial final.

Meanwhile in hurling, a nine-team Division One format will be in place for 2008, with each team guaranteed four home games. After those eight round-robin games, there will be a league semifinal and final.

Next year's football format will also have Division One and Division Two semi-finals, but from 2008 on there will be no semi-final stages, and instead four divisional finals, with the top teams in each section taking part.

2007 NFL Division 1AMayo, Kerry, Tyrone, Dublin, Cork, Fermanagh, Donegal, Limerick; Division 1B Laois, Galway, Derry, Down, Kildare, Armagh, Louth, Westmeath; Division 2A Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Clare, Carlow, London; Division 2B Meath, Wexford, Cavan, Tipperary, Sligo, Antrim, Waterford, Wicklow.