Gaelic football fans are having a tough time of it.
The GAA’s television tactics have come under fire in recent weeks and rightly so. While the majority are in agreement that the increase in the number of championship games this year is a good thing, the regrettable fact that the GAA didn’t increase the number of televised games in tandem with this means that we’re not really seeing the benefits of it at all.
And then with RTÉ having exclusive rights to the games, it means that the national broadcaster is under extreme logistical pressure to cover them all and the service they are providing is, unsurprisingly suffering as a result.
That’s why football fans are up in arms at the moment, with hurling ruling the roost. The round-robin Championship games have been competitive in both Munster and Leinster and even your cattiest football fan will struggle to argue with their showing ahead of the football games that are taking place currently across the provinces.
The current offering is not good enough for GAA fans – @Woolberto's Tuesday's column https://t.co/eFmrYDGB6K
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 29, 2018
But why does it have to be like this? Why do we have to make tough decisions like this? Wouldn’t it make a lot more sense to involve the likes of Eir Sport, TG4 and more who’ve proven themselves before and allow them show the rest of the games?
Anyway, that’s the way it is, and every weekend now, hordes of GAA fans look to the weekend fixtures in the hope that the broadcasters have made the correct decision in regard to the games that will be on the box.
While the decisions have been debatable in recent weeks, it looks like both Sky Sports and RTÉ have nailed it this weekend. It was disappointing last Saturday that neither the Tipperary Cork Munster SFC semi-final or the Leinster SFC quarter between Laois and Westmeath didn’t make it to our screens, so GAA folk will be glad to know that there will be two blockbuster games to keep us occupied this Saturday.
But, it’s the hurling folk who are winning out again.
This weekend’s televised GAA games
Saturday
Wexford v Galway, Leinster SHC, Innovate Wexford Park, 5pm – SKY SPORTS.
With Micheal Donoghue’s Tribesmen already as good as guaranteed a spot in the Leinster decider, Davy Fitzgerald’s yellow Bellies will be mad to steal a march on Kilkenny ahead of their meeting next weekend. Galway will be favourites, but don’t for a second right off the Model.
Cork v Limerick, Munster SHC Pairc UÃ ChaoÃmh, 7pm – SKY SPORTS.
The Munster Championship is living up to its billing with each of the five powerhouses still having a realistic chance of progression, and elimination. The result here, between the two form teams of the competition, will have a big bearing on the final standings.
Sunday
Fermanagh v Monaghan, Ulster SFC Healy Park, 2pm – RTE/BBC2 NI.
The chance to see Conor McManus. All day long.
Waterford v Tipperary, Munster SHC, Gaelic Grounds, 4pm – RTE.
This will have a do-or-die feel to it with both sides getting off to rocky starts. Should be a fascinating battle.
Untelevised games
Sunday
Galway v Sligo, Connacht SFC semi-final Pearse Stadium, 3.30pm.
Kerry v Clare, Munster SFC semi-final, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.30pm.
Dublin v Offaly, Leinster SHC, Parnell Park, 3pm.
A defining game for both Dublin and Offaly, the loser will be staring relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup in the face. That will be a huge blow for either, and with the stakes just as season defining as the Tipp Waterford clash in Munster, GAA folk are missing out here.
