The best in the bizz.
We have selected the top five Gaelic football pundits on RTE, BBC and GAAGO right now, that will be gracing your televisions for the upcoming season.
The Allianz National League has already returned so that means that the GAA is back on our screens, and we finally have something to plan our weekends around again.
You can’t choose your county or your club, you’re stuck with those, so hopefully your team is doing enough to entertain you and keep you tuned in, but the pundits that do the pre-match amble, half-time discussion and post-match analysis – well everyone has a favourite.
Whether it is The Sunday Game, BBC or GAAGO, there is a plethora of talent rocking the mics during these games, and offering some quality insight to enhance the viewing experience.
However, there are five in particular who just stand out above the rest.
Marc O’Se
The Kerryman is a regular on GAAGO, and not only offers great insight and understanding of the game, but is a very likeable person, with a witty personality and lots of stories to tell.
The five time All-Ireland winner isn’t afraid to talk about his own experiences and share a dressing room tale or two as a case study to help the viewer understand whatever situation is being discussed on air, a real pleasure to listen to.
Aaron Kernan
As well as being one of the most decorated footballers ever, the Armagh and Crossmaglen legend is one of the best analysts in the game, and can breakdown a match better than most.
Kernan isn’t afraid to go against the grain or public opinion, and the fact that he was playing at such a high level right up until last summer, means that he is one of the few who actually played throughout the evolution of the game from the mid-noughties to now, and can explain how the game has changed, and where it is going, from first hand experience.
Oisin McConville
Since retiring Oisin McConville has been on just abut every podcast and GAA programme going, and for good reason, because he is fanatical about the game, loves to talk about it, and always has an opinion.
You rarely hear the Crossmaglen native sit on the fence, and he developed a brilliant on-screen partnership with Mickey Harte, as the two would lock horns and bounce of each other on certain matters, although unfortunately for the punditry world, the current Derry manager is now too busy for such matters.
Peter Canavan
Forgetting for a moment that he is football royalty and one of the greatest entertainers to ever grace the game, Canavan is brilliant on air as well and he breaks down matches and isn’t afraid to offer his opinion.
Whether the issue is blanket defences, black cards, or on-field brawls, Canavan always seems to be the voice of reason, and explains his proposed solutions eloquently, usually to the agreement of most.
Tomas O’Se
The Kerry legend has just abut everything as a pundit, but if you need a particular example you only need to look at last Year’s Sunday Game after the All-Ireland final between Dublin and Kerry.
Joanne Cantwell was going around each of the panelists so they could reveal their favourite moments of the year, shocks of the year etc and when it came to Player of the Year, O’Se was supposed to say that they agreed on James McCarthy.
However, that was not his own opinion, and he needed to make it very clear that he thought it should have been David Clifford, and he couldn’t have cared less what the rest of them think.
His stubborn nature works well because a lot of what he says is backed by evidence, facts and logic, O’Se is a masterful pundit, and in our opinion, the best on screen currently.
Related links:
- Peter Canavan delves into possibility of GAA introducing VAR-type system
- Jamie Clarke reveals what it’s like to have Oisin McConville as a manager
- Strange moment on The Sunday Game when Tomas O’Se disagrees with Player of the Year selection
