RTÉ launch plans for over 140 hours of live GAA coverage

RTÉ YESTERDAY launched their most ambitious broadcast plans for the GAA Championships.

Sat, 08 May, 2010 - 01:00

Colm O’Connor

The station is committed to over 140 hours of live television coverage along with new and extended programming on Radio One and online.

The Sunday Game returns to screens on May 16 with Michael Lyster and Des Cahill hosting the afternoon and evening programmes respectively. Pat Spillane, Joe Brolly, Colm O’Rourke, Cyril Farrell, Ger Loughnane and Paul Flynn will once again provide analysis and will also feature in a series of special webcasts throughout the season in the new Sunday Game Extra. The Sunday Game will also have special guest panellists each week with former Kerry star Darragh O Sé joining the team on the opening weekend.

The legendary voice of Micheál O Muircheartaigh, entering his eighth decade as a GAA commentator, leads the live commentary team which includes Brian Carthy, Adrian Eames, Marty Morrissey, Ger Canning, Darragh Maloney, Pauric Lodge and Darren Frehill.

Glen Killane, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ said: “As the national public service broadcaster RTÉ has a proud heritage of broadcasting GAA. Our focus has always been on providing the Irish public with the best possible quality coverage of our national games and each and every year we pull out all the stops to ensure that we continue to deliver. This year is no exception, and it’s with genuine enthusiasm and a shared love of GAA with our audience, that we look forward to bringing them, quality programming across all of our platforms, capturing the magic and excitement of the Championship that defines the summer for GAA fans. This year, we’re also even more focused on sharing that experience with our audience and will have extended interactive shows on tv, online and on radio”.

For the summer months, Radio One’s Sport at Seven Extra will be extended to an hour each weekday.

Each Monday throughout the Championship, Des Cahill and Pat Spillane will review and debate all of the weekend’s action, while Michael Lyster will preview the weekend’s action every Friday and Damien O’Meara will take to the chair from Tuesday to Thursday.

Des Cahill and Joanne Cantwell will present Saturday Sport each week from 2.00pm, while Con Murphy and Jacqui Hurley will anchor Sunday Sport from major grounds all over the country each Sunday from 2pm.

Take Your Point returns to the airwaves on 6 June at 6.00pm. The programme will be produced independently in July and August as part of RTÉ Radio’s first formal commissioning of independent radio productions.

From Friday 5 June, Brian Carthy’s weekly programme The Championship will return at 10.00pm.

RTÉ.ie’s GAA site will once again feature analysis from RTÉ’s panel of GAA experts, as well as live text match-trackers, picture galleries, competitions, interactive features, news, previews and match reports.

RTÉ 2010 Live Fixtures

May 16: Derry v Armagh, 2pm; Kerry v Tipperary, 4pm

May 23: Meath v Offaly, 2pm; Antrim v Tyrone, 4pm

May 29: Galway v Wexford, 7pm (H)

May 30: Donegal v Down, 2pm; Cork v Tipperary, 4pm

June 5: Sligo v Mayo, 5pm; Louth/Longford v Kildare, 7pm

June 6: Monaghan v Derry/Armagh, 2pm; Kerry/Tipperary v Cork, 4pm

June 7: Waterford v Clare, 3pm

June 12: Cavan v Fermanagh, 5.15pm

June 13: Meath/Offaly v Laois, 2pm

June 19: Antrim/Tyrone v Donegal/Down, 5.15pm

June 29: All-Ireland Qualifier, 4pm