ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Kilkenny begin the defence of their crown this weekend, while there are four other provincial semi-finals in both football and hurling up for decision. This weekend also marks the first round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers.
Here’s what’s in store…..
********
Friday
Brian Carthy kicks off the weekend’s GAA coverage on RTÉ Radio 1 with The Championship, where he will look at all the action ahead of a busy weekend.
Saturday
Leinster SHC semi-final, O’Connor Park, 5pm
Galway v Laois
Live TV coverage on Sky Sports 5 with Rachel Wyse and Brian Carney joined by Jamesie O’Connor and new pundit JJ Delaney. Mike Finnerty is on commentary duty.
Marty Morrissey be on commentary duties for RTÉ Radio 1 as Galway and Laois go to battle for a place in the Leinster final. Donal Óg Cusack will join him on analysis while Martin Kiely will be giving updates from the sideline.
Connacht SFC semi-final, Markievicz Park, 7pm
Sligo v Roscommon
Live TV coverage on Sky Sports 5 with Rachel Wyse and Brian Carney joined by Peter Canavan an Jim McGuinness. Dave McIntyre is on commentary duty with Damian Lawlor the sideline reporter.
Newstalk have live radio commentary of the game with Oisin Langan on duty and he’s joined by Anthony Moyles and Colm Parkinson.
RTÉ Radio 1′s Paddy Hunter will be describing all the action as both sides bid to make the provincial decider where they will face Mayo.
All-Ireland SFC Round 1A qualifiers
Longford v Carlow, Pearse Park, 7pm
Brian Carthy will be in Longford for RTÉ Radio 1 for the first round qualifier clash between the two Leinster sides. Tom Carr will join him on analysis.
Elsewhere for RTÉ Radio 1, Cian O’Connell is on duty in Ruislip for London v Cavan, Pat McAuliffe is at Waterford v Offaly and John Kenny will be at the meeting of Laois and Antrim.
Sunday
Leinster SHC semi-final, Nowlan Park, 2pm
Kilkenny v Wexford
The two great rivals will face each other in the provincial semi-final and The Sunday Game Live will have all the action. Darragh Maloney is joined by Ger Loughnane and Tomás Mulcahy in studio while Marty Morrissey and Anthony Daly describe the action from Nowlan Park.
Newstalk have live radio commentary with Dave McIntyre on duty and he’s joined by Brian Hogan and Jamesie O’Connor.
Martin Kiely will be commentating for RTÉ Radio 1 throughout the match also.
Munster SHC semi-final, Gaelic Grounds, 4pm
Tipperary v Limerick
The Sunday Game Live will show their second game of the day which is the eagerly anticipated clash between the Treaty men and Tipperary. Ger Canning will be joined by Michael Duignan in the Gaelic Grounds to watch this one.
Pauric Lodge will also be commentating live from Limerick for RTÉ Radio 1. He will be joined by Cyril Farrell on analysis and Pat McAuliffe will be giving updates from the sideline.
Eoin Kelly is commentating for Newstalk.
Ulster SFC semi-final, Kingspan Breffni Park, 4pm
Monaghan v Fermanagh
Brian Carthy will be in Cavan to give live updates for RTÉ Radio 1 from the provincial semi-final meeting between Fermanagh and the Farney men while Oisin Langan reports on the game for Newstalk.
****************
Championship Sunday, Today FM, 9am
JJ Delaney chats with presenter Paul Collins while the hurling clashes in Kilkenny and Limerick are previewed along with the weekend’s football action.
The Sunday Game, RTÉ 2, 9.30pm
Des Cahill presents highlights of the busy weekend’s football and hurling action. Donal Óg Cusack and Henry Shefflin give analysis on the hurling, before Pat Spillane and Kevin McStay join him to give their views on the weekend’s football action.
Two changes for the Rossies while there are four championship debutants for Sligo
Dubs still on the lookout for new stadium location after multi-million Spawell bid fails
Quality coach, hard done by the irfu
True,kidney won the grand slam with the team Eddie had built
schmidt aswell
Eddie got the Team Gatland built
Ah now Philip, Schmidt came in about 5 years after Eddie left. O’Driscoll and D’Arcy were there on their last legs, along with O’Connell and Best. Bowe and Heaslip were still there I guess, but I don’t think they were really mainstays under O’Sullivan.
bull. eddie wasted the golden generatiom, not one 6 nations title, the Welsh won 2 grandslams while he was in charge, not forgetting being knocked out at the pool stages at the 07 world cup
Possibly could add some experience and knowledge to the leinster coaching team? Backs coach on a short term basis etc. BOD always rated him highly.
Looks like Leinster offered Leo the job too soon..
move forward
Eddie has a reputation for being a hard coach to work with. His way or the high way. It’s no coincidence that he couldn’t get a top job anywhere after Ireland. Great rugby brain but never got the best out of Ireland, rarely rotated his squad. Plenty of other players out there who have very little positive words to say about him. And people who say kidney won the grand slam with the team Eddie built? Eddie has that squad for 7 years and massively underachieved. People forget kidney brought in form players and a new coaching team
Jaysus !! Who’s your source Murray?