Some inter-county players may have to turn down the roast spuds and glass of sherry on Christmas Day - the inter-county season will reportedly get underway just five days after the presents are opened.
According to the Irish Independent's Martin Breheny, the first games of the 2018 inter-county GAA season will be played on the weekend of December 30th and 31st.
A rejigged fixture schedule for 2018 - one which sees the introduction of the Super 8s and the All-Ireland final being played earlier than is traditional - means that the O'Byrne Cup could get under a week earlier than usual.
It is also said that three rounds of the competition will have been played played by close of business on January 7th.
Last year, a callow Dublin side - under the guidance of Paul Clarke - won the O'Byrne Cup, defeating Louth by nine points in the final on January 29th.
By that date next year, the National League will have already seen its first round of fixtures played.
