The GAA has intervened to stop London GAA holding a vote to remove a British Army team from their local club championships.

GAA director general Páraic Duffy made the move after Harrow-based hurling club Granuaile made a proposal to rescind last year’s decision to allow the Irish Guards compete in the junior football championship.

The Irish Guards are the first British Army regiment to become affiliated with the association.

A vote was expected to be made in Ruislip on Monday night but London GAA decided to suspend the motion following contact from Duffy.

British security forces have been allowed to join the GAA since Rule 21 was historically lifted in 2001.

GAA president Aogán ó Fearghail confirmed Duffy’s intervention, saying: “I'm aware of that, it's been brought to my attention.

“Páraic and I have had discussions on it and Páraic, in discussion with myself, we've written to the London GAA board and we've asked them not to make a decision on that until we, as a management, have a look at that.

"Because it's nothing to do with one club, it's all clubs. We've close to 2,000 clubs. If we accept a club into our association, having done that, then it shouldn't be so simple to just remove them."

The president indicated that the issue would be discussed at Friday night's management committee meeting.