Exclusive: GAA+ to show Kerry-Donegal and Cork-Meath All-Ireland games

A REAL PLUS: The Kerry-Donegal and Cork-Meath All-Ireland SFC Group 1 games later this month will be screened by GAA+, the Irish Examiner can reveal. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The Kerry-Donegal and Cork-Meath All-Ireland SFC Round 1 games later this month will be screened by GAA+, the Irish Examiner can reveal.

Both matches have been chosen by the association’s streaming arm and are set to be shown on Saturday, May 23.

For their 4pm slot that Saturday, RTÉ had notified the GAA of their preference for the repeat of last year’s All-Ireland SFC final, Kerry and Donegal having also met in April’s Division 1 decider.

Their second choice had been Cork v Meath in Páirc Uí Rinn. 

However, that is also set to be broadcasted by GAA meaning RTÉ will televise one of the two remaining opening round matches, Galway v Kildare or Roscommon v Kildare, and GAA+ the remaining clash.

The change in the format of the All-Ireland SFC from group stages these past three years to an enhanced qualifier system this year meant the previous rights agreement relating to the early stages of the All-Ireland SFC was null and void.

GAA+ are also expected to have preference in the second half of Round 1 on May 30/31 when they are due to show three of the four matches. RTÉ will carry the fourth.

GAA+ are likely to have first call for the Round 2A/2B games on Saturday, June 13 as well as the third-round clashes on Saturday, June 20. On both weekends, they are scheduled to show three clashes.

Split

After Round 1 of the SFC, RTÉ will broadcast live coverage of two Round 2A/2B on Sunday, June 14 and one of the four Round 3 fixtures on the weekend of June 20/21.

As before, live coverage of the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals will be split between the organisations, GAA+ showing the two Saturday games and RTÉ broadcasting the Sunday pair.

In consultation with participating counties and the media rights holders, the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee determines when games are played.