GAA Commentators

aroundthehouse · 14-08-2018 11:36am #1

Does anyone know how RTE decide on who they will get as pundits and to co-commentate? Do the ex players apply for a position?

Last weekend they had des dolan co-commentate on both semi finals, this is my own opinion but i find him atrocious, adds nothing but the mandatory few sentences to let the viewers know hes there, "Conor McManus, one of the best forward in the country at the moment" you dont say.... On Comer under the high ball fisting a goal... "thats what hes there for"
Plus what has he ever won? surely theres a guy with a bag of all irelands who would be better qualified for the position?

On the flip side, Michael Murphy was a huge success on the sunday game panel last sunday night, very insightful and knows his football and comes across very well, nice to see the enthusiastic Lee Keegan get another go also.

ProudDUB · 14-08-2018 11:59am

Dessie Dolan has to have incriminating photos of someone high up in RTE. It's the only possible explanation for his contantly getting high profile commenting gigs. He is utterly woeful. I've potted plants on my patio that would offer up better insight than him. My personal favourite is "he'll be disappointed with himself with that effort" after a bad wide. Jeez Dessie, you don't say ! :rolleyes:

No problem at all with non AI winners doing commentary. If you've played the game at the hightest level, you should be able to offer up half decent analysis, regardless of how successful your county was.

Ray Bloody Purchase · 14-08-2018 12:04pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

Dessie Dolan has to have incriminating photos of someone high up in RTE. It's the only possible explanation for his contantly getting high profile commenting gigs. He is utterly woeful. I've potted plants on my patio that would offer up better insight than him. My personal favourite is "he'll be disappointed with himself with that effort" after a bad wide. Jeez Dessie, you don't say ! :rolleyes:

He has to have an uncle or cousin in Montrose. He has been in there a good few years now, not too long after his playing career finished up i'd say.

OldMrBrennan83 · 14-08-2018 12:06pm

Dessie Dolans best attribute is that he's not Martin Carney.

Ruben Remus · 14-08-2018 12:07pm

Most co-commentators across all sports are pretty poor.

Dessie does state the obvious a bit too much, but I don't mind listening to him.

It's a different sport, I know, but I'd take Dessie any day of the week over the incredibly annoying Ronnie Whelan, who turns virtually every statement into a question.

'That was a poor effort, wasn't it? He won't be happy with that, will he? I had fish and chips for my dinner, didn't I?'

Ray Bloody Purchase · 14-08-2018 12:07pm

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Most co-commentators across all sports are pretty poor.

Dessie does state the obvious a bit too much, but I don't mind listening to him.

It's a different sport, I know, but I'd take Dessie any day of the week over the incredibly annoying Ronnie Whelan, who turns virtually every statement into a question.

'That was a poor effort, wasn't it? He won't be happy with that, will he? I had fish and chips for my dinner, didn't I?'

He's not that bad, is he?

djPSB · 14-08-2018 12:08pm

aroundthehouse wrote: »

Does anyone know how RTE decide on who they will get as pundits and to co-commentate? Do the ex players apply for a position?

Last weekend they had des dolan co-commentate on both semi finals, this is my own opinion but i find him atrocious, adds nothing but the mandatory few sentences to let the viewers know hes there, "Conor McManus, one of the best forward in the country at the moment" you dont say.... On Comer under the high ball fisting a goal... "thats what hes there for"
Plus what has he ever won? surely theres a guy with a bag of all irelands who would be better qualified for the position?

On the flip side, Michael Murphy was a huge success on the sunday game panel last sunday night, very insightful and knows his football and comes across very well, nice to see the enthusiastic Lee Keegan get another go also.

Doesn't matter what they have or haven't won really.

But yes Dolan is hard to listen to.

Brendan Cummins good for the hurling.

The Talking Bread · 14-08-2018 12:09pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

Dessie Dolan has to have incriminating photos of someone high up in RTE. It's the only possible explanation for his contantly getting high profile commenting gigs. He is utterly woeful. I've potted plants on my patio that would offer up better insight than him. My personal favourite is "he'll be disappointed with himself with that effort" after a bad wide. Jeez Dessie, you don't say ! :rolleyes:

Dessie "they needed that point " Dolan

aroundthehouse · 14-08-2018 12:10pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

Dessie Dolan has to have incriminating photos of someone high up in RTE. It's the only possible explanation for his contantly getting high profile commenting gigs. He is utterly woeful. I've potted plants on my patio that would offer up better insight than him. My personal favourite is "he'll be disappointed with himself with that effort" after a bad wide. Jeez Dessie, you don't say ! :rolleyes:

or his constant "i marked him on several occasions when i was playing myself, very strong player" Thanks dessie for letting us all know you played the game yourself

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 14-08-2018 12:11pm

aroundthehouse wrote: »

Plus what has he ever won? surely theres a guy with a bag of all irelands who would be better qualified for the position?

While I broadly agree with you, it's a bit harsh to dismiss him on the fact that he doesn't have a pocket full of All-Ireland medals. He won a provincial championship with Westmeath - not many people have done that - and a fair haul of medals with Garrycastle. He was an All-Star in 2004 aswell.

Can't be just lads from Dublin, Kerry et al who get the big gigs. He can be Captain Obvious at times all right, I'd agree with that.

aroundthehouse · 14-08-2018 12:14pm

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

While I broadly agree with you, it's a bit harsh to dismiss him on the fact that he doesn't have a pocket full of All-Ireland medals. He won a provincial championship with Westmeath - not many people have done that - and a fair haul of medals with Garrycastle. He was an All-Star in 2004 aswell.

Can't be just lads from Dublin, Kerry et al who get the big gigs.

Fair point, however surely they can get someone who can offer better insight to the game than dessie "both teams will be looking to score" dolan

The Talking Bread · 14-08-2018 12:16pm

Yeah the "what has he ever won " argument doesn't stack up considering the county he played for. Dolan as a player merits respect. It's a bit different to Dolan as an analyst.

dastardly00 · 14-08-2018 12:21pm

Whether you like or dislike Dolan is completely subjective, but the fact that he was co-commentator for both semi finals is quite unusual.

Who else are the usual co-commentators for the football matches?

shrewdness · 14-08-2018 12:25pm

I don't think it's necessary to have a pocket full of Celtic crosses to warrant being either a commentator or pundit. But by God you have to be fit for the job, Dessie is as bland and inoffensive as you'll get. Rarely says anything of note and certainly doesn't offer much insight.

Having said that, I'd certainly take him over Martin "very much so" Carney. Maybe Dolan will improve with time.

Ruben Remus · 14-08-2018 12:34pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Whether you like or dislike Dolan is completely subjective, but the fact that he was co-commentator for both semi finals is quite unusual.

Who else are the usual co-commentators for the football matches?

Tommy Carr had been used a lot, and I certainly wasn't a fan. Has he now been dropped?

Realt Dearg Sec · 14-08-2018 12:45pm

dastardly00 wrote: »

Whether you like or dislike Dolan is completely subjective, but the fact that he was co-commentator for both semi finals is quite unusual.

Who else are the usual co-commentators for the football matches?

Maybe if dessie doesn't get the final he'll retire from the panel in disgust. Seems to be the done thing these days.

threeball · 14-08-2018 12:46pm

shrewdness wrote: »

I don't think it's necessary to have a pocket full of Celtic crosses to warrant being either a commentator or pundit. But by God you have to be fit for the job, Dessie is as bland and inoffensive as you'll get. Rarely says anything of note and certainly doesn't offer much insight.

Having said that, I'd certainly take him over Martin "very much so" Carney. Maybe Dolan will improve with time.

Been 5 or 6yrs now, he's not a wine so hes unlikely to improve.

aroundthehouse · 14-08-2018 12:47pm

shrewdness wrote: »

I don't think it's necessary to have a pocket full of Celtic crosses to warrant being either a commentator or pundit. But by God you have to be fit for the job, Dessie is as bland and inoffensive as you'll get. Rarely says anything of note and certainly doesn't offer much insight.

Having said that, I'd certainly take him over Martin "very much so" Carney. Maybe Dolan will improve with time.

Dolan is long enough at it now and hes not up to the job, bland would be an improvement....

I cant understand how he got both matches at the weekend, couldnt they have put gooch or tomas o se or whelan on instead

aroundthehouse · 14-08-2018 12:48pm

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Maybe if dessie doesn't get the final he'll retire from the panel in disgust. Seems to be the done thing these days.

hopefully he does

zetecescort · 14-08-2018 1:24pm

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Tommy Carr had been used a lot, and I certainly wasn't a fan. Has he now been dropped?

On the radio

corny · 14-08-2018 1:41pm

You would wonder who is charge of this stuff at RTE and how the **** they still have a job.

roadmaster · 14-08-2018 6:27pm

Ruben Remus wrote: »

Tommy Carr had been used a lot, and I certainly wasn't a fan. Has he now been dropped?

How that man is aloud near a microphone is beyond me. He is by far i think the worse off all

threeball · 14-08-2018 7:52pm

corny wrote: »

You would wonder who is charge of this stuff at RTE and how the **** they still have a job.

I was wondering that earlier. Surely someone has a look at forums like this and Twitter occasionally. So they have to see that Marty and Ger are universally disliked. Martin Carney and Tommy Carr make people cringe and want to pull their hair out simultaneously. That Dessie makes you bury your face in your hands at least 5 times a game and wonder how, just how.

And yet they ignore every bit of it and continue on. They ignore Michael Meehan, Cian Warde, Anthony moyles, and loads of other lads that have proven themselves capable in other media roles.

C__MC · 14-08-2018 9:04pm

Kevin Cassidy
Benny tierney
Dolan
Martin carney

Some of the commentators I can think of

Powerhouse · 14-08-2018 9:21pm

I don't get the reference to Dessie Dolan's lack of silverware. That doesn't make either the man nor the analyst. Darragh Ó Sé, in the Irish Times back in May, dismissed the significance of the Mayo-Galway game in Connacht (which was coming up that weekend) as he said they would both be in the Super 8 anyway. I remember thinking at the time that it was very naïve thing to write given Mayo's travails in 2017 getting through the qualifiers. There was no guarantee of anything for the losers. Having 5 or 6 All-Irelands did not stop him making a bad judgement.

Trampas · 14-08-2018 9:23pm

Dessie needs to pay for his room to improve appearance which was a way of boosting viewing numbers or show.

TheRiverman · 14-08-2018 9:34pm

aroundthehouse wrote: »

Dolan is long enough at it now and hes not up to the job, bland would be an improvement....

I cant understand how he got both matches at the weekend, couldnt they have put gooch or tomas o se or whelan on instead

Cooper,O'Se,and Whelan never do co commentator.

Hesh's Umpire · 14-08-2018 9:39pm

Since when has any commentator, co commentator or analyst said anything interesting or insightful. It's all banal cliches. As if Joe Brolly is going to improve anyone's insight into a game.

Bleating Lamb · 14-08-2018 10:18pm

As a license payer it galls me that likes of Martin Carney and Dessie Dolan get plenty of co-commentary work with RTE.

As a matter of interest what kind of remuneration would they get per match....presume it would be at least a couple of hundred euro?

RTE should hold ‘auditions’ every few years to give other ex players a chance at the gig.Could encourage former players to give it ago and they might if nothing else stumble across a few effective engaging commentators.

Audition could be in form of doing commentary on a game from a few years ago as a ‘trial’ to see how they get on.

fergus1001 · 14-08-2018 10:27pm

on the hurling side john mullane is some boi when he gets excited

BloodyBill · 14-08-2018 10:44pm

How about this for a dream team. M&M aka Marty Morrissey (reading his script of course and Martin Carney (waxing on about something from the 70s)....joined by Dessie Dolan . A threesome of the inept, decrepit and insufferable.. Throw in 'Mr Kilkenny' Michael Duignan with his monotone Midland accent and we are home and hosed.

threeball · 14-08-2018 11:09pm

BloodyBill wrote: »

How about this for a dream team. M&M aka Marty Morrissey (reading his script of course and Martin Carney (waxing on about something from the 70s)....joined by Dessie Dolan . A threesome of the inept, decrepit and insufferable.. Throw in 'Mr Kilkenny' Michael Duignan with his monotone Midland accent and we are home and hosed.

I like Duignan. He does know his hurling and generally has some interesting insight and has a passion for the game, although I think his countyman Daithi Regan is the best out there and easy to listen too. Tommy walshes enthusiasm is infectious. Just like the analysts, the hurling co-commentators are light years ahead of the football ones.

slegs · 15-08-2018 8:51am

Tommy Walsh is brilliant. The best player ever to make the seamless switch to commentating and punditry. He is so natural and everything he says is insightful. Can’t be long before RTÉ snap him up. Gooch is very good too.

WesternZulu · 15-08-2018 9:14am

slegs wrote: »

Gooch is very good too.

Gooch is awful - no insight at all.

aroundthehouse · 15-08-2018 9:51am

BloodyBill wrote: »

How about this for a dream team. M&M aka Marty Morrissey (reading his script of course and Martin Carney (waxing on about something from the 70s)....joined by Dessie Dolan . A threesome of the inept, decrepit and insufferable.. Throw in 'Mr Kilkenny' Michael Duignan with his monotone Midland accent and we are home and hosed.

I think Duignan is very good but i agree with the other 3, marty morrissey with his irrelevant facts "great point there from drew wylie, drew of course does his shopping in supervalu clones ever saturday morning and once bought a packet of hob nobs thinking they were rich tea"

martin carney stuck in a time warp, "his father was a great junior B corner back back in the 70's, very scrappy"

and as for dessie "i better say something here just to let the viewers know i'm co-commentating whilst making sure they are aware that i used to play intercounty" dolan
"they needed that score marty, hes one of the best corner backs in the country at the moment, i marked him a few times myself"

greenspurs · 15-08-2018 10:50am

Brendan Cummins is very good on the hurling , and Duignan is excellent also.

(I don't watch much football..)

castletownman · 15-08-2018 12:57pm

The worst thing about Marty, is his sentimental spiel before every match. I understand him referencing the diaspora before the All-Ireland final, but now it seems like a weekly occurrence.

"From Ballyhaunis to Bali. From Abbeyfeale to Abu Dhabi. From Sydney, Australia to San Diego, California. The Irish are tuning in from all over the world. Just like Mary, a proud Monaghan woman watching all the way over in Perth....."

Good man Marty. I never knew us Irish have emigrated all over the world.

Great little country for the sport.

elefant · 15-08-2018 1:23pm

castletownman wrote: »

The worst thing about Marty, is his sentimental spiel before every match. I understand him referencing the diaspora before the All-Ireland final, but now it seems like a weekly occurrence.

"From Ballyhaunis to Bali. From Abbeyfeale to Abu Dhabi. From Sydney, Australia to San Diego, California. The Irish are tuning in from all over the world. Just like Mary, a proud Monaghan woman watching all the way over in Perth....."

Good man Marty. I never knew us Irish have emigrated all over the world.

Great little country for the sport.

I find the worst thing about Marty commentating is that I have little to no respect for anything he has to say about the game. Actually, the same for Ger Canning.

I don't care about what level the played any gaelic games at (I know plenty of club footballers who have much better heads for the game than star inter-county players) but nothing about the RTE commentary suggests the lads have any real grasp of what they're prattling on about. They come across as total bluffers.

Ray Bloody Purchase · 15-08-2018 2:05pm

elefant wrote: »

I find the worst thing about Marty commentating is that I have little to no respect for anything he has to say about the game. Actually, the same for Ger Canning.

I don't care about what level the played any gaelic games at (I know plenty of club footballers who have much better heads for the game than star inter-county players) but nothing about the RTE commentary suggests the lads have any real grasp of what they're prattling on about. They come across as total bluffers.

The teary eyed fondling of themselves over the beauty of hurling can be a bit too much to take sometimes too.

aroundthehouse · 15-08-2018 2:10pm

castletownman wrote: »

The worst thing about Marty, is his sentimental spiel before every match. I understand him referencing the diaspora before the All-Ireland final, but now it seems like a weekly occurrence.

"From Ballyhaunis to Bali. From Abbeyfeale to Abu Dhabi. From Sydney, Australia to San Diego, California. The Irish are tuning in from all over the world. Just like Mary, a proud Monaghan woman watching all the way over in Perth....."

Good man Marty. I never knew us Irish have emigrated all over the world.

Great little country for the sport.

He did it before the all ireland a couple of years ago and got praise for it so he continued to do it, marty just loves the attention, in fairness to him hes a bit of a character helped in part by mario rosenstock and his marty party character and marty plays to it

one thing for certain is i'm really going to miss michael leyster, the gaa version of bill herlihy, an excellent presenter and knowledgable on the game and is light hearted, joanne cantwell is very dry and no craic, can you imagine a discussion between her and dessie dolan, ffs....
jackie hurley should have been given that role imo

tommyled1984 · 30-06-2019 6:13pm

Dessie is good I think..he doesn't get as excited or elated as say Marty Morrisey or Michael o Muir but his commentary is good and he gives good insight particularly in attacking. While "he'll be dissappointed with that" or "they needed that score" might be obvious they are also fairly generic and you would get similar from any commentator in any sport.
The argument that he shouldn't be commentating because he has no all Ireland's holds no water. He was recognised as one of the countries best forwards for what seemed like a very long time.
He can be a bit monotone or boring at times alright so I can understand people not liking him. However questioning his abilities as a pundit/commentator whilst also promoting Lee Keegan in the same post doesn't make sense. Lee Keegan was like a rabbit in the headlights when he got his chance.
I'd say Whelan and tomas o shea are very good and then I'd have dessie there after... pat spillane was excellent in the 90s but he's spent the last 20yrs being controversial just to stay relevant and keep the young up comers off his toes. Brolly and spillane are like dunphy, funny and entertaining but spoofers..

ppn · 30-06-2019 6:16pm

Ger Canning is dire and always seems to be doing the hurling. Can they not pension him off!!

Realt Dearg Sec · 30-06-2019 9:05pm

ppn wrote: »

Ger Canning is dire and always seems to be doing the hurling. Can they not pension him off!!

Let him do the soccer where he can't cause any harm

crossman47 · 30-06-2019 9:55pm

Darragh Maloney did a fine job on the Leinster final today and Donal O'Grady is always worthwhile with serious points to make.

Realt Dearg Sec · 30-06-2019 10:01pm

crossman47 wrote: »

Darragh Maloney did a fine job on the Leinster final today and Donal O'Grady is always worthwhile with serious points to make.

Moloney is the best commentator they have by a mile. Can't see any reason why the other two get the big gigs ahead of him, except seniority.

Bonniedog · 30-06-2019 10:11pm

I thought Molony made a few howlers. Mistook Morris for Chin at least one, which is pretty good going in fairness!

I suppose its all in the ear of the beholder. All have different styles and none of them will ever be as good as Ó Mhuirceartaigh or Hehir or Mick Dunne.

Some excellent radio commentators in fairness. Listened to the football last night and very good from all venues and Dolan, Meehan and Flynn were good contributors. Not heard Meehan doing it before and he seems to have a good eye for stuff going on around the field.

TheRiverman · 30-06-2019 10:26pm

Darragh Maloney is by far the best commentator right now."The target"Canning has always been dreadful.Marty Morrissey is ok if he toned down some of the banality,himself and John Mullane on radio commentary is some event.Paraic Lodge is very good on radio.I haven't heard Martin Carney so far this year,is he gone ?

TheRiverman · 30-06-2019 10:36pm

Bonniedog wrote: »

I thought Molony made a few howlers. Mistook Morris for Chin at least one, which is pretty good going in fairness!

I suppose its all in the ear of the beholder. All have different styles and none of them will ever be as good as Ó Mhuirceartaigh or Hehir or Mick Dunne.

Some excellent radio commentators in fairness. Listened to the football last night and very good from all venues and Dolan, Meehan and Flynn were good contributors. Not heard Meehan doing it before and he seems to have a good eye for stuff going on around the field.

Micheal Meehan was on TV once,maybe twice last year as a pundit.He was excellent,don't know why he isn't on instead of Colm Cooper

BloodyBill · 30-06-2019 10:40pm

Morrissey is a disaster and shouldn't be let near a microphone outside of a Bingo hall. Canning is fine,professional and a broad spectrum of people can listen to him. He has no GAA background, hes from Montenotte in Cork city

threeball · 30-06-2019 10:41pm

We now have Marty on trying to convince everyone the Jamar Hall is in fact called Jamer Hall. What a dose.

Bonniedog · 30-06-2019 10:44pm

threeball wrote: »

We now have Marty on trying to convince everyone the Jamar Hall is in fact called Jamer Hall. What a dose.

What sort of monster calls their boy Jamar?

Sounds like a Compton rapper

GAA Commentators

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