The forthcoming National Football and Hurling Leagues will receive extensive live coverage from TG4, the details of which were announced yesterday. Starting with the Cork-Kerry football game on Saturday night week - the first major GAA game to be played under floodlights - the coverage will continue up to and including both finals in May.
The Irish language station has exclusive rights for live coverage of league and club matches, with RTÉ having similar rights to the championship. Included in the TG4 coverage over the coming months are the All-Ireland club semi-finals and finals.
After opening with the Cork-Kerry game from Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday week, which has a 7.30 throw-in, TG4 will be in Croke Park the following day for the meeting of Armagh and Dublin. The following Sunday's live game will feature league champions Tyrone against Galway.
"We are very excited about our schedule of live games over the coming months," said Ronan Ó Coisdealbha of TG4 Sport. "Obviously that opening game under floodlights is going to be a whole new experience for everyone, and I imagine will attract a lot of viewers.
"Our only worry was the level of lighting at Páirc Uí Rinn, but we've tested it and it should work out perfect. It will also be our same camera crew who do the Celtic League rugby under spotlights, so they know what to expect even if GAA viewers don't."
The live league coverage will break in February for the All-Ireland club hurling semi-final featuring Athenry against Birr (on Sunday the 16th) and the football semi-final featuring Nemo Rangers against Errigal Ciarain (on Sunday 23rd). Both finals will then be shown live from Croke Park on St Patrick's Day.
Some of the latter rounds of the league have yet to be confirmed but will build towards the coverage of both finals, to be played on successive days (Sunday, May 4th and May 5th).
The Cork team to play Kerry in the opening league game is likely to feature several lesser-known players as manager Larry Tompkins is concentrating on youth in his current open-ended panel. Among those who won't be playing in the early rounds of the league are Ciaran O'Sullivan, Ronan McCarthy, Joe Kavanagh and Philip Clifford.
The Mayo panel for the league will also feature several new faces as manager John Maughan looks set to do without the likes of Gary Ruane, Aidan Higgins and Colm McManamon for the coming weeks. Midfielder David Brady also has still to decide whether to commit to rugby or Gaelic.
Kildare welcome back three experienced players for Sunday's O'Byrne Cup final against Longford. Dermot Earley will partner Aidan McHugh at midfield while goalkeeper Christy Byrne returns for his first start since the final round of last season's league campaign against Clare.
Ronan Quinn returns to the full back position. He last played when he came on as a substitute in Kildare's championship replay against Offaly last summer.
The Longford team won't be finalised until after training later tonight, but manager Denis Connerton has been rotating goalkeepers every weekend, meaning that Damien Sheridan, who started in the quarter-final win, is likely to take over from Gavin Tonra.
Saturday, February 1st: NFL - Cork v Kerry, 7.30, Páirc Uí Rinn
Sunday, February 2nd: NFL - Dublin v Armagh, 2.15, Croke Park
Sunday, February 9th: NFL - Tyrone v Galway, 2.15, Dungannon
Sunday, February 16th: Club HC - Athenry v Birr, 2.15, Ennis
Sunday, February 23rd: Club FC - Nemo Rangers v Errigal Ciaráin, 2.15, Portlaoise
Sunday, March 2nd: NFL - Kerry v Dublin, 2.15, Tralee
Sunday, March 9th: NHL - Kilkenny v Galway, 2.15, Nowlan Park
Sunday, March 16th: NHL - Tipperary v Wexford, 2.15, Thurles
Monday, March 17th: Club Finals, 1:45, Croke Park
Sunday, March 23rd: NFL/NHL, 3:15
Sunday, March 30th: NHL - Tipperary v Cork, 3.15, Thurles
Sunday, April 6th: NFL, 3.15
Sunday, April 13th: NHL, 3.15
Sunday, April 20th: NFL semi-finals
Sunday, April 27th: NHL Rd 8
Sunday, May 4th: NFL final
Monday, May 5th: NHL final
