Ten lives games between now and end of season

**town73** · 12/10/2006, 2:39 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 2:43 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 3:17 PM

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!

**NY Hoop** · 12/10/2006, 4:24 PM

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

KOH

**Mr A** · 12/10/2006, 5:09 PM

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

**brendy_éire** · 12/10/2006, 5:19 PM

Rarely show Derry matches though.

**dcfcsteve** · 12/10/2006, 5:25 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 5:44 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 5:49 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 7:07 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 7:15 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 9:51 PM

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** · 12/10/2006, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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

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!

**Réiteoir** · 12/10/2006, 10:26 PM

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

**geezer** · 12/10/2006, 10:37 PM

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** · 13/10/2006, 7:44 AM

Originally Posted by brendy_éire

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** · 13/10/2006, 8:02 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

KOH

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

**David** · 13/10/2006, 8:20 AM

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** · 13/10/2006, 8:37 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

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.