Donaghy a Super Sub for Sky

Sky Sports brought the GAA Championships a little closer yesterday with their announcement of their line up of games and analysts for the summer ahead.

Three-time All-Star and four-time All-Ireland winner Kieran Donaghy is the new expert analyst to join the crew and will be in action throughout the season as well as heading up Sky’s partnership with the GAA around the Super Games Centres.

Fresh blood was needed with James Horan departing to take up the mantle of ending Mayo’s years in the wilderness and Jim McGuinness heading for a different kind of Football in the United States.

A total of 20 live, and 14 exclusive, fixtures of Championship action will be available on Sky’s multi-platform offering, from the regular subscription on TV through to the Now TV streaming service which offers a contract free opportunity to dip in for a game or a weekend.

Exclusive

The exclusive coverage gets underway on Saturday May 11th when Brian Cody’s Kilkenny take on Mattie Kenny’s Dublin in the opening round of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in Nowlan Park.

This year will once again see insight and analysis across the two codes from Tyrone hero Peter Canavan, former Dublin GAA star Senan Connell, Clare’s two-time All-Ireland champion Jamesie O’Connor, Kilkenny’s nine-time All-Ireland winner JJ Delaney and four-time All-Star defender Ollie Canning.

Lead commentary will come from Dave McIntyre, swapping oval ball for round and radio once more for TV, and Mike Finnerty with co-commentary from Nicky English, Michael Fennelly, Dick Clerkin and Paul Earley.

Damian Lawlor will be back for a sixth series of sideline reporting and will feature in the week running up to that first fixture in our Behind the Mic series.

Studio

Rachel Wyse and Brian Carney will also be back as the studio hosts in grounds up and down the country.

“This year’s Championship looks set to throw up another cracking summer of fantastic Gaelic Games action as the Dublin Footballers go in search of their 5th and record-breaking title and Limerick look to retain their number 1 position in a hotly contested All-Ireland Hurling Championship,” said Sky Ireland Managing Director JD Buckley speaking at the GAA Museum yesterday where Sky had mounted their own takeover for the day.

“This year we welcome the brilliant Kieran Donaghy to our panel. Kieran brings with him a wealth of experience, knowledge and pure passion. I’ve no doubt he’ll bring another dimension to our coverage.”

The exclusive coverage continues on May 18th when Monaghan travel to Kingspan Breffni Park to take on old rivals Cavan in the Quarter Final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship.

Munster

Sky will also have coverage of the Cork vs Waterford clash in the Munster Hurling Championship on June 8th and a double header in the Leinster Hurling Championship the following week.

Donaghy will also spearhead Sky Sports support of the GAA’s Super Games Centres. Designed to keep young people playing the game they love, particularly those between the ages of 12 and 17, the Super Games Centres is one of three Grassroots initiatives that Sky has committed to investing €3m in over five years.

The work at the Centres will be regularly showcased as part of the Wednesday evening Championship Review Show on Sky Sports Arena. The Championship Review will return to Sky Sports Arena on May 8th before the action gets underway on May 11th.

New and existing Sky customers can (from 6th May) join Sky Sports at half price for 6 months while those who prefer to stream rather than fully commit can access all the action instantly and without a contract via NOWTV.com.

Join us on Monday when we will have an exclusive interview with Neil O’Rourke from Sport for Business members Sky Ireland on the importance of the GAA to Sky, the growth of NowTV, and the nature of Sports broadcasting in 2019.