Taoiseach launches 2006 Ladies Football Championship

There are 16 teams competing in this year’s senior
championship, with last year’s winners Cork and runners up Galway
again amongst the favourites. Kerry are again a force to be reckoned
with while out West, four times winners Mayo will be looking to
win their first title since 2003. Dublin, Kildare, Laois and Meath
look like the most likely challengers in Leinster while Armagh,
Tyrone, Donegal and Monaghan strive to take the Brendan Martin Cup
to Ulster for the first time since 1997.

Ladies Football is recognised as the largest female
sport in Ireland, with now over 100,000 participants in 1,000 clubs
in Ireland and overseas. There have been 11 different winners of
the Ladies Football title since Tipperary won the first championship
in 1974, with Kerry leading the way with 11 titles including a historic
nine-in-a-row during the 1990s.

Counties such as Dublin, Armagh, Meath and Tyrone
have never won a senior title but have made enormous strides in
the last number of years. At Junior level, last year’s runners up
Sligo will once again be amongst the favourites with the likes of
Tipperary, Limerick, Wexford and Fermanagh.

In his comments An Taoiseach said that the partnership
between Ladies Football and TG4 was one of the most successful and
appropriate in all of sport in Ireland. “As a nation, we are
rightly proud of our language and our native sports. TG4 has revitalized
the public’s and young people’s attitude to Irish. It has showcased
the best aspects of our culture. There is no better example to set
than to promote this wonderful sport of Ladies Football – with its
emphasis on skill and passion.”

TG4 Ceannasaí, Pól Ó Gallchóir,
said that everyone was looking forward to another glorious Championship
season in Ladies Football. He also confirmed that agreement has
been reached between TG4 and Cumann Peil Gael na mBan to extend
the term of the current sponsorship and broadcast rights contract
between them up to 2009. He reflected also on the highly successful
All-Stars tour to Singapore earlier this year was said he was looking
forward to other major international developments in Ladies Football
to co-inside with TG4’s tenth birthday celebrations at Halloween.

Geraldine Giles, Uachtarán, Cumann Peil Gael
na mBan said that the interest of the public has never been higher
and she was confident that 2006 would be the best season yet for
Ladies Football. “The Senior and Junior Championships are getting
more competitive every season, and this year there are at least
10 counties looking like potential winners at this early stage.
Our games continue grow from strength to strength and last year
we held the first international tournament with Ladies Football
teams from all over the globe competing and this year sees the inaugural
Compromise Rules series against Australia.”

Today’s launch also heard confirmation of a major
increase in TG4’s live coverage of the 2006 Championships. The channel
will broadcast 10 Championship games live this season (up from 4
last year). The additional games being televised live for the first
time will be the four All-Ireland Quarter Finals at senior level
and both All-Ireland Semi-Finals in the junior championship.

This means that fans of Ladies Football can view a
major Championship match live on television every Saturday from
mid-August to mid September. In another exciting innovation, all
matches being broadcast live by TG4 this season will also be webcast
live, free of charge, worldwide on www.tg4.ie (A full schedule of
TG4’s coverage of the 2006 Championship season is attached).

ENDS

More information:

Rónán Ó Coisdealbha, Spórt TG4 091-505050
/ 087 2472841 sport@tg4.ie

Helen O’Rourke, Cumann Peil Gael na mBan 01-8363156 / 087-2585958

Mick O’Keeffe, Pembroke Sports PR, 01 649 6488/087 8854 072

info@ladiesgaelic.ie

Information on the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Championships
can be obtained on the website of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association
www.ladiesgaelic.ie
LADIES FOOTBALL ON TG4 – 2006

LIVE COVERAGE

Saturday 19th August 2006

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter Finals x2 Game 1: 3:15pm

Double header Game 2: 5:00pm

Saturday 26th August 2006

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter Finals x2 Game 1: 3:15pm

Double header Game 2: 5:00pm

Saturday 2nd September 2006 (Double header)

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Semi Final Game 1: 3:15pm

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi Final Game 2: 5:00pm

Saturday 9th September 2006 (Double header)

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Semi Final Game 1: 3:15pm

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi Final Game 2: 5:00pm

Sunday 1st October 2006

TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Final 1:15pm

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Final 3:15pm

HIGHLIGHTS COVERAGE ON TG4

Highlights on GAA 2006 every Monday evening at 8:30pm, including
the games above as well as the TG4 Ladies Football Provincial Finals.