JOHNNY MAGEE slammed RTÉ’s coverage as “a disgrace” after Wicklow’s 36-score battle with Meath received around two minutes of coverage on The Sunday Game highlights show.
Wicklow boss Magee said a lack of television exposure and positive newspaper coverage was hampering the Garden county’s efforts to bring in sponsorship, which in turn was preventing him from putting resources in place to bring his players to the levels of fitness and strength and conditioning necessary to compete at inter-county level.
“It’s a disgrace as far as I’m concerned,” he said.
“They showed the live games which were Donegal-Armagh, Galway and Mayo and the coverage should be longer for the teams that weren’t shown live. We got two minutes.
“My lads have been working their backsides off for the last five months and they get two minutes from the national broadcaster? You’re trying to promote the game within the county and they throw that out there.”
With four points separating the sides at the final whistle, Wicklow-Meath was the closest of the weekend’s Championship fixtures. It included five goals, two penalties, red cards and many other talking points.
“In this day and age, no team should be beaten by a stronger team, but that’s what’s happening,” said Magee.
“We’re trying to do something about that, but you need resources and resources come from exposure in the national papers and broadcasters. How are you meant to go and entice a sponsor in when you’re getting nothing? At least Dublin or Donegal can go and say ‘we’ll get three or four live games this year and we’ll be on the back of all the papers’.
“They (RTÉ) don’t even cover Division Three and Four on the League Sunday programme that they do. How about equality for all counties? If you’re beaten by a group of more skilful players that’s fine, but you shouldn’t be beaten because the other team is fitter and stronger and have more resources.
“Dublin have their water sponsored and their drinks sponsored – we have to pay for our bleedin’ water.”
