TG4’s good news for GAA fans

Colm O’Connor

The station will broadcast more Allianz League matches than ever before including the inauguration of deferred coverage of games to compliment their regular Sunday service.

TG4 will also cover the finals of the Datapac Sigerson Cup and the latter stages of the AIB Club Hurling and Football Championships.

The first weekend of live coverage begins on Friday with the NFL Division 1A tie between Cork and All-Ireland champions Kerry at Páirc Uí Rinn (7.45pm).

Saturday sees the first tie under lights at Parnell Park as Dublin entertain Mayo (7:15pm). On Sunday, it's the first double header of the season with live coverage of Donegal and Tyrone while the clash of Offaly and Westmeath will be shown afterwards.

TG4's Sunday afternoon schedule will provide full coverage of two matches one live and one deferred.

"TG4 is acknowledged as the channel for live GAA coverage in the October-May period and our schedule of coverage of this year's Allianz Leagues will delight followers of Gaelic Games.

Putting together the selection of matches for live coverage was very challenging, given all the attractive fixtures on offer," TG4 Sports Editor, Rónán Ó Coisdealbha, said.

"It is going to be massive undertaking but a very exciting one and it gives the leagues in football and hurling a higher profile.

From our viewpoint, as the broadcast rights holder we are delighted to be bringing more coverage from the competition," he added.

"It will mean an extra outside broadcast unit more crew and production staff. There will be huge logistics involved. On one Saturday we have games in Ennis and Tralee and on Sunday we have games in the North."

The selection of matches for TG4 coverage during the second half of the campaign will be made as the Leagues unfold to ensure live coverage of the crucial fixtures. The channel will provide further coverage on the Monday night. The Ard san Aer programme will have highlights from each weekend's other top League fixtures at the peaktime slot of 8:30pm.

The GAA coverage will continue to be produced by Nemeton, the Waterford independent production company based in the Ring Gaeltacht, presented by Micheál Ó Domhnaill and Gráinne McElwain with commentary by Brian Tyers, Mac Dara Mac Donncha and Gearóid Mac Donncha.