Clash with Six Nations stopped Cork GAA agreeing TV throw-in time for Limerick game

Saturday evening's Allianz Hurling League clash between Cork and Limerick is expected to draw a bumper crowd to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tue, 28 Jan, 2025 - 13:09

PJ Browne

Cork GAA said it is "deeply disappointed" that this Saturday's Allianz Hurling League clash against Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh will not be broadcast live.

The game throws in at 7:30pm. RTÉ had expressed a desire to show the game live with an earlier throw-in time of 6pm "but the counties could not accommodate".

The Cork and Limerick game gets underway at the same time as TG4's broadcast of the Allianz Football League Division 1 clash between Donegal and Dublin, and broadcasts can't overlap.

That 6pm throw-in time would have meant the hurling game clashed with the second half of Ireland's Six Nations match against England at the Aviva Stadium, which kicks off at 4:45pm and will be shown live on Virgin Media 1. Cork GAA did not want to "deprive" its supporters of the chance to see both games.

In a statement issued to the Irish Examiner, Cork GAA said it "was informed some weeks ago that Cork v Limerick was not to be the chosen game by broadcasters at the appointed time on Saturday, February 1st at 7.30pm.

"We were not in a position to meet a subsequent request to change the game to an earlier time to facilitate the broadcast, as the alternative time clashed directly with the Ireland v England Rugby game and we sought not to deprive our own supporters of seeing both games.

"We remain deeply disappointed that our fixture will not be televised at the appointed time, but look forward to another spectacle with a packed house here at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday next."

The Irish Times reported on Tuesday evening that TG4 has made a request to Croke Park to be allowed stream the game. They are awaiting a response.

Earlier on Tuesday, RTÉ said in a post on social media that it "sought Cork-Limerick in the Allianz Hurling League as our match selection a number of months ago but the counties could not accommodate. RTÉ subsequently chose Armagh-Tyrone."

Cork began their league campaign with an easy victory over Wexford last Saturday while this weekend's game will be Limerick's first competitive match of the year.

Saturday's game, a repeat of last year's epic All-Ireland semi-final when Cork ended Limerick's bid to win a fifth consecutive Liam MacCarthy Cup, is expected to draw a 30,000 crowd to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The two stands at the Leeside venue are said to have already sold out.

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