Blow for Sky as RTÉ snap up headline games
SKY SPORTS are the big loser in next weekend’s battle of the couch. The pay-per-view giants were left short-changed after it was confirmed that RTÉ would be showing both headline games on the inaugural weekend of the Super 8s. RTÉ will show both games involving the provincial champions, Saturday night’s Dublin v Donegal clash as well as the following afternoon’s Galway v Kerry game, which clashes with the World Cup final. That has left Sky reduced to covering the undercard on both days, and in a further blow, their Sunday coverage of the Kildare v Monaghan match will clash with RTÉ’s live broadcast of the Limerick v Kilkenny All-Ireland SHC quarter-final meeting. In the past, policy dictated that RTÉ and Sky did not broadcast live games simultaneously. It is a major blow for Sky, who in the past were guaranteed the two All-Ireland quarter-finals, which always included Dublin, played on the Saturday night. However, it is believed that the GAA had initially fixed the Dublin v Donegal game for the Sunday but, fearful of the impact the World Cup
final would have on the attendance, moved it forward by 24 hours but left the broadcasting rights with RTE. Cork were the other winners yesterday as it was confirmed that the other All-Ireland SHC quarter-final between Wexford and Clare will take place on Saturday in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. FIXTURES SATURDAY — All-Ireland SHC quarter-final: Clare v Wexford, Pairc Ui Chaoimh (3.0) All-Ireland SFC Super 8 round 1: Roscommon v Tyrone, Croke Park (5.0); Dublin v Donegal, Croke Park (7.0) TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Championship Group 1, Round 1: Tipperary v Kerry; MacDonagh Park, Nenagh (1pm). Group 2, Round 1: Armagh v Monaghan; Clones (12.30pm, LIVE, TG4) Group 3, Round 1: Waterford v Westmeath, MacDonagh Park, Nenagh (2.45pm) Group 4, Round 1: Cavan v Mayo; Clones, 2.15pm (LIVE, TG4) SUNDAY — All-Ireland SHC quarter-final, Limerick v Kilkenny, Thurles (2.00) All-Ireland SFC Super 8 round 1: Kildare v Monaghan, Croke Park (2.0); Galway v Kerry, Croke Park (4.0)