TV Coverage

Brendan Bendar

Could RTE ever get a more monotonous pundit that Fitzmorris?

Watching paint dry is more animated….. what a disaster.

theoneeyedman

Fitzmaurice knows what he's talking about. He's much better than the nice looking and nice smiles of Keegan and Cavanagh who are providing vacous and sterile analysis.

MisterAnarchy

This new Sunday Game highlights programme is dire.

Dire pundits, Shane Dowling and Ursula Jacob.

They have 2 football pundits on now who looked like they just finished school.

keeponhurling

Of the gaago crew, Tommy Walsh and Seamus Hickey are very good on the hurling.

washman3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120513190#Comment_120513190

You should give it a go yourself....😀

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120511804#Comment_120511804

Has the most monotonous delivery I ever heard.

Like a drone buzzing around Dublin Airport.

theoneeyedman

Look, it depends on what you think the second commentator is for?

IMHO, he should be looking around and filling us in on what's happening off camera, in terms of team layout and any tactical stuff not obvious on camera. For others the likes of John Gillanne roaring and loooing and telling you what's in front of your eyes is the thing.

I think Eamonn adds more light than heat, regardless of his line of patter. If you want entertainment, go to the pictures 😁

MacDanger

Fitzmaurice has a very monotonous voice but he's by far and away the best analyst in terms of content, I'd have him number one by a long shot - if you want the same rehashed cliches over and over, Dessie Dolan is probably your man.

Brendan Bendar

I genuinely think given that the most intrinsically important unit of a broadcasters qualification is the voice, that at least that would rule out Fitzmaurice.

We could go on all day pontificating about how much he knows and all the rest but listening to his droning delivery is pure torture.

Surely, surely there are folk from GAA circles who are capable of putting a bit of life in their delivery and who know a bit about the game.

And don’t go on with the ‘if you don’t like it,don’t listen ‘card, I’m commenting on a service I pay for based on broadcasting acumen, nothing personal.

And in my opinion Fitzmaurice as a commentator does not fill the bill.

YabaDabaDooley

Fitzmaurice has possibly the most monotone voice in punditry history. Whether it's handpassing back and forth for a couple of minutes or a last gasp match winning goal you couldn't tell the difference in his tone. Funnily enough i find him a good listen apart from that.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120514426#Comment_120514426

People seem to kind of forget that co-commentators and the main commentator need to work as a team and compliment each other.

Best example I can supply I as far as Ireland is concerned are Michael Corcoran and Donal Lenihan, they jell well together and Lenihan doesn’t ‘intrude’ on the commentary like certain others do.

A good commentator makes a poor game better but handing over to co commentators who are as dull as ditchwater kinda kills any rhythm that might have built up, in other words making a bad game even worse.

theoneeyedman

Is there anything that illustrates how poorly ran RTE is when they bring Lee Keegan from Westport to Limerick to analyze a game being played in Castlebar, that he's watching on TV like the rest of us 😂. Fuckin hilarious

grbear

The lack of Saturday Game this week was a bit irritating. Are RTE limited to doing a set number of Saturday night shows and are saving them for a more hectic weekend or was it a case of the Sunday show being light content wise so they skipped Saturday?

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566671#Comment_120566671

I think the schedule would be under an agreed contract with the GAA.

keeponhurling

Cusack: GAA shrinking hurling - not growing it (rte.ie)

Interesting discussion, I think Donal Og is spot on though. What are the GAA even thinking of regarding hurling ?

grbear

Instead of another year where we get five minutes of a pundit from a strong county complaining about the GAA not growing hurling maybe someone from a lesser county should be given that platform to articulate what they feel they need in terms of support from the GAA?

One of the better things Parkinson did with the GAA Hour was interviewing people from lower down the totem pole. That Stapleton lad does the same. He has a video up with Terence McNaughton about Antrim needing a home in Munster. The title makes it seem like a mad idea but when you listen to what he is saying there's a clear logic to his plan. It might never happen but I think it'd be better if his thoughts got given a bigger platform.

Brendan Bendar

Who in Gods name in RTE appointed Fitzmaurice as a co commentator on football games?

I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but he puts the ‘o’ into booooring!

Drones along like a bouncy castle power unit.

Grats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568399#Comment_120568399

I rarely agree with what Cusack has to say but he, and Tyrrell, were spot on last night with regards to GAAGO. And also their views on head high tackles not being properly punished. They showed a number of such tackles for which a yellow card was issued or no card at all when clearly they were red card incidents. Cusack, like many people, can't understand how the CCCC reviewed one such recent incident and decided it warranted no red card. In so doing they are neglecting to protect the players from potential serious head injuries. In the same way the refs are being neglectful by not issuing red cards for shoulders, elbows or hurls to the head. Yet another such incident arose in the Cork v Tipp match on Saturday for which the ref deemed it a yellow card.

It needs to be addressed urgently.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568657#Comment_120568657

The only way it can be addressed is to give the referees the same view that you get on TV. And let them look at the camera footage over and over, freeze frame it, get different angles. In real life they get only a split second, and from whatever distance and angle they are viewing. You would fare no better than the refs, with your human eyes.

If a decision goes to some other humans for appraisal, they will all have their own opinions. The pundits on TV are also human, and subject to making mistakes.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120568531#Comment_120568531

He hasn't the most dynamic voice, but he does actually give insight into tactics etc that the viewer might not pick up on otherwise.

Jizique

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120566671#Comment_120566671

There wasn't one last week either, wanted to see a bit of LK v Clare; the radio had the womens "rugby" on even

Grats

I agree that refs can't pick up on everything but the recent incident that the CCCC reviewed and took no action is a disgrace. It shows they're not willing to protect the players.

dxhound2005

I am not familiar with the incident. One solution would be for the expert pundits to offer themselves to serve on the committee. Then their decisions would make everyone happy. Except possibly the referees who have their decisions undermined. Could lead to an even bigger exodus from the referee panels.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570031#Comment_120570031

Hurling is impossible to ref and umpire though. There is just too much happening. The ball traveling 100 meters in 2 seconds for example.

Video assistant is now needed more than ever. Especially in hurling.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120570031#Comment_120570031

The auld lads are ahead of you there. Your analysis is beyond useless.

https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/match-officials/umpires

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120569645#Comment_120569645

Understatement of the season right there.

Could some exec in the relevant dept not give him a shoe in the hole to liven him up?

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120572626#Comment_120572626

I'd rather someone boring telling me something useful than a golden voice talking bollix.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120572634#Comment_120572634

Surely in the whole annals of the GAA they could find someone with a normal enthusiastic voice who could tell us something useful?

Its not exactly rocket science is it?

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120573745#Comment_120573745

7 Tailteann cup games?

How many Joe McDonagh and Christy Ring games are they showing?

munchkin_utd

I did a quick manual run down of whats on telly in the next fortnight, and roughly whats not

###### Week to Sun 14th May #####

-- GAA GO --

Kildare v Sligo - U 20 Football Final

Saturday 13th May 13:30 (Irish time)

Cavan v Laois - Tailtean Cup League Stage

Saturday 13th May 16:00 (Irish time)

Waterford v Clare - Munster Hurling League Stage

Saturday 13th May 18:00 (Irish time)

-- RTE ---

Saturday Game Highlights

Saturday 13th May 21:30 (Irish time)

Dublin v Louth - Leinster Football Final

Sunday 14th May 13:45 (Irish time)

Armagh v Derry - Ulster Football Final 

Sunday 14th May 16:00 (Irish time)

-- TG 4 --

Tuesday, 9th May, 22:00

Deferred coverage of Cork v Clare in the Munster Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

Wednesday, 10th May, 19:30

Deferred coverage of Kilkenny v Wexford in the oneill's.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Semi Final.

NOTE: live on the app/ website 

Friday, 12th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the Leinster Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

-- NOT TELEVISED LIVE at all, at all, at all --

7x Tailtean Cup games (14 counties involved) 

13x Joe Mc Donagh/Christy Ring/Lory Meagher games (26 counties involved) 

total, 20 senior intercounty championship games, 40 counties involved - not televised. 

###### Week to Sun 21st May #####

-- GAA GO --

Kerry v Mayo - Sam Maguire League Stage

Saturday 20th May 15:00 (Irish time)

Galway v Tyrone - Sam Maguire League Stage

Saturday 20th May 17:15 (Irish time)

Kilkenny v Dublin - Leinster Hurling League Stage

Saturday 20th May 18:00 (Irish time)

Leitrim v Fermanagh - Tailtean Cup League Stage

Saturday 20th May 18:00 (Irish time)

-- RTE ---

Saturday Game Highlights 

Saturday 20th May 21:30 (Irish time)

Clare v Cork - Munster Hurling League Stage

Sunday 21st May 14:00 (Irish time)

Tipp v Limerick - Munster Hurling League Stage

Sunday 21st May 16:00 (Irish time) 

-- TG 4 --

Monday, 15th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the oneill's.com Munster U20 Hurling Championship Semi Final.

Wednesday, 17th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the oneill's.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship Final

Friday, 19th May, 19:20 - LIVE

Live coverage of the All Ireland Semi Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship.

Saturday, 20th May, 16:15 - LIVE

Live coverage of the All Ireland Semi Final in the Electric Ireland Minor Hurling Championship

-- NOT TELEVISED LIVE at all, at all, at all --

2x - Sam Maguire League Stage

2x - Leinster Hurling League Stage

7x Tailtean Cup League Stage

9x Joe Mc Donagh/Christy Ring/Lory Meagher games 

total, 20 senior intercounty championship games, 40 counties involved - not televised.