MAJOR EXTENSION IN GAA COVERAGE FOR SPRING 2005

More
live Allianz League matches, some of them under
lights, the inauguration of deferred coverage
of full matches, live coverage of the Datapac
Sigerson Cup as well as the annual showcase of
the All Ireland stages of the AIB Club Hurling
and Football Championships form the main talking
points of TG4’s GAA coverage for Spring 2005,
details of which are released today.

The first weekend of TG4’s live coverage for 2005
gets off to a bright start on Friday 4th February
with the first of the channel’s live broadcasts
of a floodlit football League fixture as Cork
take on Kerry in Páirc Uí Rinn. The following
day (Sat 5th Feb) sees the 2004 All-Ireland Finalists,
Mayo travel to the capital for a tough League
match against Dublin. TG4 will also broadcast
this much-awaited clash live from Parnell Park
at 7:15pm. On Sunday (Feb 6th), the big clash
between Ulster teams Donegal and Tyrone will be
broadcast live from Ballybofey while Offaly v
Westmeath will be shown afterwards.

Live coverage of floodlit League fixtures continues
on TG4 in following weeks with Saturday night
matches (A full list of TG4 GAA match coverage
for Saturdays and Sundays in Spring 2005 is enclosed).
In another innovative move, this year, for the
first time ever, TG4’s Sunday afternoon schedule
will provide full coverage of two matches – one
live and one deferred with full coverage of a
second match broadcast immediately after the live
match.

Launching the coverage, TG4 Sports Editor, Rónán
Ó Coisdealbha, said that the station was delighted
to be continuing its partnership with the GAA
and the competition sponsor to give this year’s
Allianz Leagues a higher television profile than
ever. “Spring is the season of hope for all GAA
followers, a fresh start with dreams of Autumn
glory. Our unparalleled Spring GAA coverage at
club, colleges and League levels will provide
the discerning follower with an invaluable guide
to early season form.”

“TG4
is acknowledged as the channel for live GAA coverage
on television in the October-May period”, he said
“and our schedule of coverage of this year’s Allianz
Leagues will delight followers of Gaelic Games
throughout Ireland. Putting together the selection
of matches for live coverage was very challenging,
given all the attractive fixtures on offer,” he
added.

The
selection of matches for TG4 coverage during the
second half of the campaign will be made as the
Leagues unfold to ensure live coverage of the
crucial fixtures. The channel will provide further
coverage of the Allianz Leagues on the Monday
night Ard san Aer programme with highlights from
each weekend’s other top League fixtures being
included in the established peaktime slot 8:30pm.

The
GAA coverage will continue to be produced by Nemeton,
the Waterford independent production company based
in the Ring Gaeltacht, presented by Micheál Ó
Domhnaill and Gráinne McElwain with commentary
by Brian Tyers, Mac Dara Mac Donncha and Gearóid
Mac Donncha.

GAA
BEO 2005 – LIST OF GAA MATCHES ON TG4

Sundays
– Live match followed immediately by full match
deferred coverage of a second match.

Friday 4 February Live –	Cork v Kerry	Allianz Football League-Round 1	7:45pm
Saturday 5 February Live –	Dublin v Mayo	Allianz Football League-Round 1	7:15pm
Sunday 6 February Live –	Donegal v Tyrone	Allianz Football League-Round 1	2:15pm
Deferred –	Offaly v Westmeath	Allianz Football League-Round 1
Saturday 12 February Live –	Athenry v Toomevara	AIB Club Hurling Semi-final	2:15pm
Live –	Kerry v Offaly	Allianz Football League-Round 2	7:15pm
Sunday 13 February Live –	Armagh v Galway	Allianz Football League-Round 2	2:15pm
Deferred –	Tyrone v Dublin	Allianz Football League-Round 2
Sunday 20 February Live –	Crossmaglen v Portlaoise	AIB Club Football Semi-Final	2:15pm
Deferred –	Waterford v Kilkenny	Allianz Hurling League – Round 1
Saturday 26 February Live –	Datapac Sigerson Cup Final (Live from Dundalk IT)		2:15pm
Sunday 27 February Live –	Limerick v Tipperary	Allianz Hurling League – Round 2	1:45pm
Saturday 5 March Live –	Kerry v Dublin	Allianz Football League-Round 3	7:15pm
Sunday 6 March Live –	Laois v Armagh	Allianz Football League-Round 3	2:15pm
Deferred –	Derry v Cavan	Allianz Football League-Round 3
Saturday 12 March Live –	Dublin v Westmeath	Allianz Football League-Round 4	7:15pm
Sunday 13 March Live –	Clare v Galway	Allianz Hurling League – Round 3	2:15pm
Deferred –	Tipperary v Wexford	Allianz Hurling League – Round 3
Thursday 17 March Live –	AIB All Ireland Club Championship Finals – Croke Park		1:45pm
Saturday 19 March Live –	Kerry v Westmeath	Allianz Football League – Round 5	7:15pm
Sunday 20 March Live –	Galway v Waterford	Allianz Hurling League – Round 4	1:15pm
Live –	Galway v Laois	Allianz Football League – Round 5	3:20pm
Sunday 27 March Live –	Allianz Hurling League Round 5		2:15pm
Deferred –	Allianz Football League Round 6
Sunday 3 April Live –	Allianz Football League Round 7		3:15pm
Deferred –	Allianz Football League Round 7
Sunday 10 April Live –	Allianz Hurling League Series 2,Round 6		3:15pm
Deferred –	Allianz Hurling League Series 2, Round 6
Sunday 17 April Live –	Suzuki Ladies Football League Final		1:45pm
Live –	Allianz Football League Semi-finals		3:30pm
Saturday 23 April Live –	Allianz Hurling League Series 2, Round 8 (*if applicable)
Sunday 24 April Live –	Allianz National Football League Finals		2pm & 3:40pm
Saturday 30 April Live –	Colleges – Hogan & Croke Cup Finals		2pm & 3:40pm
Sunday 1 May Live –	Allianz National Hurling League Finals		2pm & 3:45pm
June Bank Holiday –	Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta 2005