THE appeal of the Ulster Football Championship is again evident through RTÉ’s decision to broadcast seven of its eight games this summer.
The national broadcaster has released its list of 31 games that will be shown live, beginning with next Saturday’s Ulster preliminary round meeting of Monaghan and Fermanagh.
The following afternoon’s game between Donegal and Antrim is the only one of the eight games that they have decided not to show, and it is unlikely to be broadcast live anywhere.
It will be the sixth consecutive season in which Antrim’s opening Ulster Championship has been snubbed. The Saffrons have not appeared on live television since their 2011 preliminary round defeat by Donegal, a game which was widely panned afterwards.
RTÉ will show a double-header of Mayo v Sligo (football) and Cork v Tipperary (hurling) on May 21, and with the current deal not allowing rival broadcasters to show games at the same time as another, BBC NI’s hopes of offering live coverage will be dashed.
The derbies between Derry and Tyrone (May 28) and Down and Armagh (June 4) will both be shown live with 2pm throw-ins, while Cavan’s clash with the winners of the preliminary round tie set to be shown live.
Both semi-finals will be shown as part of double-headers and all six provincial finals in both codes are live on RTÉ.
Reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin won’t be shown until their semi-final on June 25, and the station is due to broadcast only two qualifiers all summer, underlining the growing lack of interest in back-door games.
What has clearly piqued interest is Tipperary’s win over Cork last year, which wasn’t broadcast live and received only minimal coverage on the Sunday Game highlights show.
They are expected to meet in the Munster semi-final on June 10, provided Cork overcome Waterford in their opener, and RTÉ are not taking the same chance second time around.
Sky Sports are expected to announce their fixture last later in the week, and it looks likely that they will show Dublin’s Leinster quarter-final meeting with either Wexford or Carlow.
Limerick’s Munster hurling meeting with Clare is also likely to feature on the same day as Down v Armagh,
The paid broadcaster will, however, have exclusive rights to the All-Ireland football quarter-finals involving the Leinster and Ulster champions on August 5.
Those two do face a potentially easier last eight tie as they will play teams that emerge from the ‘B’ side of the qualifiers.
While that potentially includes Monaghan, Cavan and Armagh among others, the ‘A’ side will contain Donegal and/or Tyrone, Mayo and/or Sligo, and a rejuvenated Kildare.
Tickets went on sale at the weekend for the Ulster Championship with a freeze in matchday prices from last year, although there is a slight increase on the price of pre-purchase tickets.
RTÉ’s live fixture list
Saturday 20 May, 7pm: Monaghan v Fermanagh (USFC Preliminary Round)
Sunday 21 May, 2pm: Mayo v Sligo (CSFC Quarter final); 4pm: Cork v Tipperary (MSHC Quarter Final)
Sunday 28 May, 2pm: Derry v Tyrone (USFC Quarter final); 4pm: Dublin v Galway (LSHC Quarter Final)
Sunday 4 June, 2pm: Down v Armagh (USFC Quarter final)
Saturday 10 June, 5pm: Cork/Waterford v Tipperary (MSFC semi final)
Sunday 11 June, 2pm: Cavan v Fermanagh/Monaghan (USFC Quarter final); 4pm: Galway v Mayo/Sligo (CSFC Semi Final)
Sunday 18 June, 2pm: Derry/Tyrone v Donegal/Antrim (USFC Semi-Final); 4pm: Waterford v Cork/Tipperary (MSHC Semi Final)
Saturday 24 June, 7pm: Down / Armagh v Cavan / Monaghan / Fermanagh (USFC Semi-Final)
Sunday 25 June, 4pm: Carlow / Wexford / Dublin v Offaly / Westmeath (LSFC Semi Final)
Saturday 1 July, 5pm: Qualifier
Sunday 2 July, 2pm: Munster Football Final; 4pm: Leinster Hurling Final
Saturday 8 July, 5pm: Qualifier
Sunday 9 July, 2pm: Connacht Football Final; 4pm: Munster Hurling Final
Sunday 16 July, 2pm: Ulster Football Final; 4pm: Leinster Football Final
Sunday 23 July, 2pm: All Ireland Hurling Quarter Final; 4pm: All Ireland Hurling Quarter Final
Sunday 30 July, 2pm: All Ireland Football Quarter Final; 4pm: All Ireland Football Quarter Final
Sunday 6 August, 3.30pm: All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final
Sunday 13 August, 3.30pm: All Ireland Hurling Semi-Final
Sunday 20 August, 3.30pm: All Ireland Football Semi-Final
Sunday 27 August, 3.30pm: All Ireland Football Semi-Final
Sunday 3 September, 3.30pm: All Ireland Hurling Final
Sunday 17 September, 3.30pm: All Ireland Football Final
