RTÉ delayed game after learning lessons

RTÉ says that the decision to delay Sunday’s Munster SHC game was a direct result of a similar situation last year, when an overlap between games meant the early stages of another Munster hurling championship game wasn’t broadcast.

The Cork-Tipperary hurling clash on Sunday was delayed by 15 minutes to accommodate extra time in the Down-Donegal Ulster SFC game in Ballybofey. Last year extra time between Wicklow and Westmeath in Leinster led to viewers missing the first 10 minutes of Waterford v Limerick in the Munster SHC.

“We sat down with the Munster Council earlier in the year and said we didn’t want that situation arising again,” said Paul Byrnes of RTÉ Sport yesterday. “Pat Fitzgerald, secretary of the Munster Council, was very helpful and we agreed that if the scenario arose on May 30 we’d deal with in this way.

“There were calls made between us on the day and there were no problems arranging the delay. At the end of the day the audience was served because they saw both games in their entirety. The alternative is to miss part of one of the games, which isn’t a viable option. The important thing for us is to cover the game from whistle to whistle, as it were. We had a very good game in the north but we were able to go from that to the parade in Cork, and we had time for the scene-set and give the teams as well.

“We would never leave a match before it finishes – people want to see the outcome of a game, and there was a big audience for both games on Sunday.”

Cork captain Kieran Murphy said “it was a matter of getting on with it” when the throw-in was delayed.

“It was a bit weird. We said beforehand that we had to expect the unexpected throughout the game. You need to be flexible and adaptable. When you’re planning beforehand, you tend not to take these things into account. We didn’t know when the game was going to start but it was matter of getting on with it. It was a bit strange – it’s the first time that’s ever happened to us.”

Murphy added: “Originally, we were planning for a 12 or 13-minute warm-up and trying to cram stuff in but then it was out to 25 or 26 minutes. All credit to Mark McManus and Donal Burke.”

Meanwhile, GAA Communications Manager Alan Milton last night stated that the implementation of extra-time for this year’s championships, which caused the throw-in delay to Sunday’s Munster hurling tie, has massive benefits in helping club fixtures proceed unhindered. Milton did admit that the prospect of a delay was an unfortunate by-product of that new rule.

“Because of the extra-time rule we have four counties – Down, Donegal, Offaly and Antrim – whose club calendars can now proceed as they have no inter-county replay.

“That’s a very positive thing as we’re deadly serious in trying to improve matters for the grassroots club player during the summer. It’s unfortunate that there was a delay in the Munster hurling game on Sunday and that there was an inconvenience to supporters.

“But it has to be recognised of the benefits intercounty extra-time brings to club players. The alternative of playing the first match on a Sunday earlier means a lot of extra air time that has to be filled by television and it’s worth noting that extra-time isn’t a regular occurrence in the first game every weekend.”