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New pundit, Richie Hogan. Bryan Keane/INPHO

Dónal Óg Cusack criticises decision to put Munster hurling games behind GAAGO paywall

38 championship games to be screened by GAAGO, with four Munster hurling games set aside.

LAST UPDATE | 4 Dec 2023

FORMER CORK GOALKEEPER Dónal Óg Cusack has described the decision to put four Munster hurling championship games behind the GAAGO paywall as a”commercial decision” which is “continuing a trend of neglecting the game and part of our culture”.   

Three of Cork’s Munster SHC group games – 21 April v Waterford, 28 April v Clare and 11 May v Limerick – will be exclusive to the GAA’s streaming service.

“This is a commercial decision to coin off of Hurling,” Cusack said on Twitter, “continuing a trend of neglecting the game and part of our culture. The opposite is the duty of both the GAA and RTÉ.

“RTE is a public service, not a private company. The GAA should be the guardians of hurling, not the exploiters. Surely government leadership needed here? What is the purpose of both institutions in this case? Is there a conflict of interest at play?”  

 There will be 38 championship games that will be exclusively broadcast by GAAGO; 22 in the Sam Maguire, nine games in the Liam MacCarthy Cup and seven Tailteann Cup games.

Richie Hogan will be a new addition to their hurling coverage, and many of the faces who fronted the coverage return, such as show anchor Gráinne McElwain, and football analysts Michael Murphy, Aaron Kernan, Paddy Andrews, as well as Eoin Cadogan, John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer and Tommy Walsh in hurling.

Four Munster hurling championship games will be put aside for GAAGO only, as well as the four football championship preliminary quarter-finals, and two football quarter-finals.

This move would appear to back up some criticisms that  Cusack made of GAAGO last year, when he asked, “How many Munster championship games in football compared to hurling have they shown?”

“It looks very like that they’re using hurling to get this joint venture off the ground, whereas it should be the other way around.”

The price range is €12 for a single game, with a ‘3 for 2’ bundle at €24. GAA members will receive 10% of any full-price subscription (€79). GAA clubs will be able to avail of a group pass of €150, while carehomes will be handed complimentary login codes at no cost.

Those looking for a Christmas present for the GAA fan in their life might be tempted by the €69 deal that runs to December 31st for all 38 live and on-demand matches.

The broadcasting schedule will commence in Ruislip, London, when the Exiles host 2022 All Ireland finalists, Galway. The following night, New York, who won their first Connacht championship game in 2023 by beating Leitrim on penalties, will host Mayo.

The full list of games that will be broadcast is as follows:

6 April

CSFC: London V Galway

7 April

CSFC New York V Mayo

14 April

LSFC: Kildare V Westmeath / Wicklow

20 April

MSFC: Kerry V Cork / Limerick

21 April

MSHC: Waterford V Cork

27 April

LSHC: Antrim V Wexford

USFC: Fermanagh / Armagh V Down / Antrim

28 April

MSHC: Cork V Clare

LSFC: Kildare / Westmeath / Wicklow V Louth / Carlow / Wexford

LSFC: Dublin / Longford / Meath V Offaly / Laois

4 May

MSHC: Waterford V Tipperary

LSHC: Wexford V Galway

11 May

MSHC: Cork V Limerick

LSHC: Carlow V Kilkenny

18 May

Round Robin SFC Rd 1 and 2 games.

Tailteann Cup Rd 2 game.

LSHC: Dublin V Kilkenny

25 May

Round Robin SFC x 2 games

26 May

LSHC: TBC

1 June

Round Robin SFC RD 2 x 2 games

Tailteann Cup Rd3 game

8 June

Tailteann Cup preliminary Quarter finals x 2 games

15 June

Round Robin SFC Rd 3 x 2 games

16 June

Round Robin SFC Rd 3 x 2 games

22 / 23 June

AISFC Preliminary Q-Finals x 4 games

29 June

AISFC Q-Finals x 2 games

Author
Declan Bogue
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