Joining the GAA conversation

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh spent 62 years as the voice of GAA but Newstalk’s Dave McIntyre and Ger Gilroy plan to take their Gaelic games coverage in a totally new direction.

DAVE McINTYRE goes back to April 1986 for his first Croke Park memory. He was smuggled through the turnstiles into the Nally Stand that day by his Cavan father, who was interested in the fortunes of neighbours Monaghan in the football league decider against Laois.

Twenty-five years on, McIntyre will return to headquarters on Sunday week when Dublin attempt to replicate their league hurling exploits when they go toe to toe with Offaly in the Leinster championship. But this time the Newstalk commentator does not have to concoct a plan to gain entry. As the first man to broadcast a live hurling championship commentary for a national station other than RTÉ, McIntyre will journey to his seat in the Upper Hogan Stand without interruption. Over the past few months he has grown accustomed to chronicling the timeline of Premiership and Heineken Cup matches but the prospect of narrating high-octane GAA action leaves him giddy with anticipation.