Ten lives games between now and end of season

[town73]

RTE and TG4 have today (Oct 12th) confirmed a further six live eircom League games from next weekend (Oct 20th) to the end of the season with TG4 making history by broadcasting the first-ever live First Division fixture when Athlone Town take on First Division leaders Galway United at Dubarry Park on Saturday, October 28th. And when the FAI Carlsberg Cup semi-finals and final are included, there will be a minimum of ten live games broadcast between now and the end of the season on December 3rd. RTE will screen four live eircom League games and three FAI Carlsberg cup games while TG4 will broadcast three eircom League matches.

After tomorrow night’s (previously announced) live game on TG4 from the Carlisle Grounds where Bray Wanderers take on Cork City (7.45pm), RTE have confirmed that they will be screening Derry City v Drogheda United next Friday (Oct 20th, 8pm); Shelbourne v Drogheda United (Nov 3rd, 7.30pm); Cork City v Shelbourne (Nov 10th, 7.30pm) and an as yet to be confirmed Premier Division fixture on the last night of the league, Friday, November 17th.

RTE is also screening the two FAI Carlsberg Cup semi-finals live on the weekend of October 27th – 29th with Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic at Tolka Park first up on Friday 27th (7.30pm) followed by Sligo Rovers v Derry City from the Showgrounds on Sunday 29th (3.15pm). All RTE broadcasts will be on RTE Two.

TG4 will make history on Saturday October 28th when they will screen the first-ever live broadcast of a First Division fixture since the advent of the two-tier league in the 1985/86 season. Athlone Town take on Galway United at Dubarry Park with a 7.30pm kick-off and the TG4 cameras will be there – as they were for Athlone Town’s FAI Carlsberg Cup quarter-final against Shamrock Rovers last month. And TG4 will also broadcast an as yet to be confirmed Premier or First Division fixture live on Saturday November 11th.


Live games between now and the end of the season:

Fri Oct 13th

Bray Wanderers v Cork City, Carlisle Grounds, 7.45pm (TG4) (eircom League Premier Division)

Fri Oct 20th

Derry City v Drogheda United, Brandywell, 8pm (RTE Two) (eircom League Premier Division)

Fri Oct 27th

Shamrock Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, Tolka Park, 7.30pm (RTE Two) (FAI Carlsberg Cup)

Sat Oct 28th

Athlone Town v Galway United, Dubarry Park, 7.30pm (TG4) (eircom League First Division)

Sun Oct 29th

Sligo Rovers v Derry City, Showgrounds, 3.15pm (RTE Two) (FAI Carlsberg Cup)

Fri Nov 3rd

Shelbourne v Drogheda United, Tolka Park, 7.30pm (RTE Two) (eircom League Premier Division)

Fri Nov 10th

Cork City v Shelbourne, Turner’s Cross, 7.30pm (RTE Two) (eircom League Premier Division)

Sat Nov 11th

eircom League Premier or First Division fixture to be confirmed, 7.30pm (TG4)

Fri Nov 17th

eircom League Premier Division fixture to be confirmed, 7.45pm (RTE Two)

Sun Dec 3rd

FAI Carlsberg Cup Final (RTE Two)

[NY Hoop]

Anyone else think there is too much emphasis on live games? Great to have the Cup games live but for the league a proper highlights programme is far more important IMO.

Also there was a camera at Terryland last week yet they never showed that but they are showing Athlone v Galway? No way will there be 4000 at it like last week.

KOH

[Raheny Red]

Yeh, would be much better if there was a decent highlights package. Thank god that we are that littlle bit better off than the lads up the north, the goals from their games are shown at something like half 5 on a saturday when they're on their way home from the games! :eek: :rolleyes:

[NY Hoop]

Yeah but they have a camera at every game up there and always have done.

KOH

[Mr A]

No they don't, many of the 'smaller' games don't get covered at all.

[brendy_éire]

Rarely show Derry matches though.

[dcfcsteve]

Agree that a proper highlights package would be better than a lot of live games, but this still very good coverage.

Strange choice of game in Athlone v Galway though, and Bray v Cork !

Must be the longest sequences of live games we've ever had...?

[Sniffer]

Firstly, they don't have a camera at eevery game up north. thirdly, because I can't think of a second, they regularly miss late goals because they've got to get the pics back to HQ for the 5.30 start and secondly [aaahhhh], the whole thing lasts about 5 minutes. SH1T program, I watch it on FF every week.

Agree about highlights package for eL, but can't see how anyone can have a problem with this season's extensive live coverage.

[Aaron]

Stop complaining people. We shud be glad to have live games and we do have a highlights programme. Slowly but surely we will get more live games and a good highlights package but for now just be happy games are on. Also delighted to see the Athlone -v- Galway on live. Gives the first division a bit of needed exposure. At least they have left open their choice for the last game.

[JC_GUFC]

I don't know what people are complaing about!

It's great that there are so many live games and not randomly scattered like before!

For the cup semi weekend there are 3 games in 3 days!

It's great that Athlone v United is on the box too - the first division title race is going to go down to the wire and Athlone v Rovers wasn't a bad standard at all.

[ger121]

So what is the total amount of live games that will have been shown including Europe and all the cups by the end of this season?

[sligoman]

It's a disgrace that they're showing the likes of Bray, Galway and Athlone and haven't shown a Sligo Rovers league game all season.

[JC_GUFC]

It's a disgrace that they're showing the likes of Bray, Galway and Athlone and haven't shown a Sligo Rovers league game all season.

I don't understand what the issue is - they're all bigger more attractive clubs than Rovers. :D

To be fair though, Sligo v Drogs will surely be the live game on the TBA weekend, unless they decide to show United v Cobh! :p

[Réiteoir]

I also noted on the RTÉ article that the games will be available on the website - good news for the exiles

[geezer]

TG4 have had a few impacts on the domestic game. 1 is that it has to be a good thing if 50-60 thousand people watch a game on telly its 4 times more than attend all the games in both divisions put together some weekends. so obviously a new audience is looking. it takes time but eventually this has a big impact on people knowledge and profile of the domestic game. 2 TG4 have had an impact on RTE because they now as well are beginning to see the growth in interest. any publicity be it online, radio tv or magazines or media all adds to peoples knowledge and interest and is increasing interest

[Calcio Jack]

Rarely show Derry matches though.

Boo hoo... oh dear they still haven't shown the goals from the Gretna game...is Mrs Kenny still crying over that ?

[paudie]

Anyone else think there is too much emphasis on live games? Great to have the Cup games live but for the league a proper highlights programme is far more important IMO.


KOH

A phrase with the words "beggars" and "choosers" comes to mind

[David]

For someone like myself who lives in Northern Ireland but has a real interest in football down south the live games are great, the more the better. I am also looking forward to watching the 1st division game. Is that a new ground that Athlone play at? I recall going there a few times to watch Linfield in 1979 and 1980 I think when they were a top club down south but thought it was called St Mels Park or something like that.

[refjohn]

For someone like myself who lives in Northern Ireland but has a real interest in football down south the live games are great, the more the better. I am also looking forward to watching the 1st division game. Is that a new ground that Athlone play at? I recall going there a few times to watch Linfield in 1979 and 1980 I think when they were a top club down south but thought it was called St Mels Park or something like that.

David - I think it is the local rugby ground and they only play there for live TV - something to do with facilities and floodlights i think. St Mels is still their home ground.

[David]

Cheers refjohn and Northside Hoop. I have great memories of Athlone's ground, we won the All Ireland Cup there in 1980.

[bohsmug]

The amount of live games on telly this year has been great. I would prefer if the live television matches weren't on at the same time as the vast majority of other games. I would imagine this impacts on ratings too. Still great though and I did notice a few games not on the Friday evening.

[holidaysong]

What the hell is Athlone vs. Galway doing on tv?!? Surely Galway vs. Dundalk next weekend would be a far better option if they wanted to show a First Division match? Crazy.

[Paddyfield]

What the hell is Athlone vs. Galway doing on tv?!? Surely Galway vs. Dundalk next weekend would be a far better option if they wanted to show a First Division match? Crazy.

The Athlone V GUFC game will attract the smallest amount of viewers for a live football game on TV ever!

1. It's on TG4. Sorry to say but there are more people speaking Polish than Irish in this country :mad:

2. The Irish are playing Oz in Funny Rules International at Pearse Stadium, Galway. It will be live on TV at the same time and 34,000 sell out crowd will be in attendance.

3. It's only a first division game albeit the first EL first division league game ever to be shown on TV

4. It's a Saturday of a Bank Holiday weekend. Some folks like to go out on such occassions.

5. Athlone have nothing to play for. There will only be a few hundred people at it.

[holidaysong]

2. The Irish are playing Oz in Funny Rules International at Pearse Stadium, Galway. It will be live on TV at the same time and 34,000 sell out crowd will be in attendance.

I didn't even know this was on too. It will be a disaster! They will be paying people to fill the half time advertising.

[dcfcsteve]

1. It's on TG4. Sorry to say but there are more people speaking Polish than Irish in this country :mad:

Every need to apologise, as it's simply not true.

Look at the last census returns for the Irish language, then compare to the figures for the estimated numebr of Poles in the country and you'll see a vast disparity....

Agree that of all the First Division games to show it's a bad choice though.

[Paddyfield]

Look at the last census returns for the Irish language, then compare to the figures for the estimated numebr of Poles in the country and you'll see a vast disparity....

Thanks for setting the record straight dcfcsteve. That's another urban myth discounted.

[derrymac]

I don't understand what the issue is - they're all bigger more attractive clubs than Rovers. :D

To be fair though, Sligo v Drogs will surely be the live game on the TBA weekend, unless they decide to show United v Cobh! :p

I think it will depend on the league table which game will be shown on the saturday 10th. Last year, it was Derry v St Pats with the Cork v Shels game on the friday. If Derry and Shels are neck and neck it will be Derry v Pats.
That would screw us big time as we play Waterford on the monday :mad:

[NY Hoop]

What the hell is Athlone vs. Galway doing on tv?!? Surely Galway vs. Dundalk next weekend would be a far better option if they wanted to show a First Division match? Crazy.

Galway v Rovers the other week is the game they should have shown. They had a camera at it alright so presume the goal will be on at half time at this farce.


KOH

[Conor H]

Ny Hoop is right.Galway v Rovers was the game to show.4000 there...good game...cracking atmosphere....no game would have been better to show that weekend for all round entertainment.(awaits Sligoman with "wtf Sligo should have been on telly..why are yee on telly bla bla bla:rolleyes: )
Have to disagree with a few points made.......especially by Paddyfeild.

1.
It's on TG4. Sorry to say but there are more people speaking Polish than Irish in this country

Most people watch it regardless and many find the commentary funny....not a major detterent in my books.


2.
The Irish are playing Oz in Funny Rules International at Pearse Stadium, Galway. It will be live on TV at the same time and 34,000 sell out crowd will be in attendance.

See PD's post in the GUFC forum.Although i do agree the bulk of tv viewers will watch this "sport" most UTD fans will travel and we'll have around 500 in Athlone....with a good chance of more if we beat Dundalk.



3. It's only a first division game albeit the first EL first division league game ever to be shown on TV

So?I think most EL fans would watch it anyway.It's also a derby match so there'll be a cracking atmosphere.As i said though should have showed us v rovers or v Dundalk in Terryland.



4. It's a Saturday of a Bank Holiday weekend. Some folks like to go out on such occassions. :rolleyes:


5. Athlone have nothing to play for. There will only be a few hundred people at it.

This is Athlone's Cup Final and it's on telly.Trust me the Athlone boys are mad up for it...it's their biggest game left.They'll have at least 1500 at the game.