National Forum

Sunday Game

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To wicklowsupport:  "Sean Cavanagh has an agenda; he constantly criticises the other provinces but offers no viable solution to fixing what is broken. Everyone acknowledges that the Ulster football championship is the only competitive provincial football championship just like Munster is, in the hurling equivalent. Pundits are suppose to inform the public; not tell us what we already know over and over again. I hear nothing insightful from any of the pundits on RTE. The elephant in the room is that we are suppose to believe that there are 16 teams capable of competing for the All Ireland and the rest are a waste of space because they can't get up to the standard of the top 16. I have nothing against Meath nor Cork in football but neither have done anything recently to indicate that they belong at the top table and yet pundits talk as though they are capable of beating Dublin and Kerry respectively. They are there to analysis what they see, not what they've seen previously or what to see. If they analysed what was in front of them honestly and informatively then it would be a good start."
4 different counties have contested Leinster hurling finals in the last 5 years since 2019. There have been 3 different winners in the last 6 years, Galway winning it in 2018. 4 different counties have come out of Leinster to the AI series in the same time, while only 1 county has emerged from Leinster to every all ireland series in that time. And it's never a foregone conclusion who is going to be relegated in any of those years either . Its more competitive than people give it credit for.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13880 - 15/04/2024 13:42:39    2538058

Link

Replying To Saynothing:  "I know the SG is going downhill but last night took the biscuit. Boring, and Sean Cavanagh, great footballer for Tyrone but please, no more TV. BBC North are running rings around RTE. It could be partially to do with one sided matches but the programme is far from professional."
Everyone accepts that the provincial championsips days are numbered. Someone just needs to make a decision and devise a different championship structure. There's only one out of four provinces competitive. Kerry is a footballing powerhouse in a hurling province, that isn't going to change. The teams in Leinster outside Dublin have no valid excuses to be so far off Dublin, they have decent resources including population to be competitive and Dublin is not the team it was. In relation to Sean Cavanagh, if he was a good pundit he'd be on the BBC and not RTE.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2023 - 15/04/2024 14:33:34    2538088

Link

I like a clown watched it last night in the hope they wouldn't concentrate on the shambles in croke park but how wrong was I..would it not make more since to show more highlights of games that havnt been shown live,or am I being stupid for expecting this..I also see RTÉ showing football Saturday but not showing Waterford/cork..would it not be common since to show more hurling in early shows due to number of football qualifiers that are on the way..another thing thought Gaa go were doing matches that would be on the Saturday..am I missing something??also thought Cavanagh was trying to hard to dominate things last night,the idea of showing stuff on screen is that we can see,not have him standing in front of it when Flynn is showing stuff..very amateurish.

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2379 - 15/04/2024 14:37:48    2538091

Link

Armagh have been one of the best football teams to watch in the past few years. It's baffling that they were discussing some of their kickout strategies and turnovers and not highlighting their great skills. If the Sunday Game was a business it nearly looks like they want to run it into the ground before someone buys it out or it goes bust. I think if RTE outsourced it could do better. Their GAA Podcast is also terrible. But I like Damian Lawlor on the live games, he's his own man not following a script. And Saturday and Sunday Sports shows are very good.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 15/04/2024 15:03:27    2538104

Link

Ever since regular live games started 30 years ago people are still bewildered that tsg shows highlights of those live games first of all on the night show. Quite amusing.
Seems to be their editorial policy and it won't change. rte have zero interest in adapting or being innovative in their coverage.
It has been neutered into a PC fashion show.
Until people vote with their remote controls it will remain that way.

eslinchickenmaryland (Leitrim) - Posts: 274 - 15/04/2024 15:31:26    2538118

Link

Interesting moment in the Louth Wexford coverage. The commentator was describing the Louth midfielder Durnin pass the ball to the Louth centre half Keenan for a goal attempt. She named the Wexford no. 8 passing to the Wexford no. 11 instead. Sums up the shambles that the Sunday game has become in my view.

LaLu (Louth) - Posts: 235 - 15/04/2024 15:34:13    2538121

Link

Replying To LaLu:  "Interesting moment in the Louth Wexford coverage. The commentator was describing the Louth midfielder Durnin pass the ball to the Louth centre half Keenan for a goal attempt. She named the Wexford no. 8 passing to the Wexford no. 11 instead. Sums up the shambles that the Sunday game has become in my view."
It really sums up the laziness of TSG that they provide full highlights of Wicklow and Kildare but a game taking place in the same venue is given shaky phone coverage.

PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1657 - 15/04/2024 16:08:45    2538129

Link

Replying To LaLu:  "Interesting moment in the Louth Wexford coverage. The commentator was describing the Louth midfielder Durnin pass the ball to the Louth centre half Keenan for a goal attempt. She named the Wexford no. 8 passing to the Wexford no. 11 instead. Sums up the shambles that the Sunday game has become in my view."
Ssshhhh - dont let Joey Barton hear you say this, or he will be all over it.
His love (dislike - putting it mildly) for female presenters and commentators, of male sports, is crazy... ;o)

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3981 - 15/04/2024 16:12:48    2538131

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "I like a clown watched it last night in the hope they wouldn't concentrate on the shambles in croke park but how wrong was I..would it not make more since to show more highlights of games that havnt been shown live,or am I being stupid for expecting this..I also see RTÉ showing football Saturday but not showing Waterford/cork..would it not be common since to show more hurling in early shows due to number of football qualifiers that are on the way..another thing thought Gaa go were doing matches that would be on the Saturday..am I missing something??also thought Cavanagh was trying to hard to dominate things last night,the idea of showing stuff on screen is that we can see,not have him standing in front of it when Flynn is showing stuff..very amateurish."
A game that is shown in full and analysed for 30 minutes prior to the match, 15 minutes at half time and 15-30 afterwards shouldn't be top billing on the night show and certainly shouldn't include more analysis - it is idiotic. I have no agenda against any county and I know the top counties will get more coverage then the weaker counterparts but at the beginning of the championship, some exposure should be dedicated to shown the lesser lights who struggle to promote GAA to the wider public. The top counties in each code will have ample opportunity later in the championship to hog and dominate the limelight. With regard to pundits, in yester years, Enda Colleran did a great job on his own analysing gaelic football. A number of pundits nowadays interrupt and compete against each other to dominate the narrative and for speaking time. I'm disappointing with Jacqui since she took over the presenter of the Sunday Game, she just seems to sit there.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2023 - 15/04/2024 20:12:20    2538186

Link

Replying To wicklowsupport:  "A game that is shown in full and analysed for 30 minutes prior to the match, 15 minutes at half time and 15-30 afterwards shouldn't be top billing on the night show and certainly shouldn't include more analysis - it is idiotic. I have no agenda against any county and I know the top counties will get more coverage then the weaker counterparts but at the beginning of the championship, some exposure should be dedicated to shown the lesser lights who struggle to promote GAA to the wider public. The top counties in each code will have ample opportunity later in the championship to hog and dominate the limelight. With regard to pundits, in yester years, Enda Colleran did a great job on his own analysing gaelic football. A number of pundits nowadays interrupt and compete against each other to dominate the narrative and for speaking time. I'm disappointing with Jacqui since she took over the presenter of the Sunday Game, she just seems to sit there."
Should RTE investigate ?

19616609 (Louth) - Posts: 1637 - 15/04/2024 23:11:09    2538210

Link

Replying To wicklowsupport:  "A game that is shown in full and analysed for 30 minutes prior to the match, 15 minutes at half time and 15-30 afterwards shouldn't be top billing on the night show and certainly shouldn't include more analysis - it is idiotic. I have no agenda against any county and I know the top counties will get more coverage then the weaker counterparts but at the beginning of the championship, some exposure should be dedicated to shown the lesser lights who struggle to promote GAA to the wider public. The top counties in each code will have ample opportunity later in the championship to hog and dominate the limelight. With regard to pundits, in yester years, Enda Colleran did a great job on his own analysing gaelic football. A number of pundits nowadays interrupt and compete against each other to dominate the narrative and for speaking time. I'm disappointing with Jacqui since she took over the presenter of the Sunday Game, she just seems to sit there."
I think they should give top billing to the best game of the weekend. For excitement and a great finish I think that was Kildare v Wicklow last weekend. The camogie league final was a much better game than Dublin v Meath on Sunday. But it looks like Division 1 teams will take top billing and they're most likely to be involved in the live games. In mid April it looks like the All Ireland will be between Dublin, Kerry or Derry. The Tailteann, albeit a lower standard of football, is more difficult to predict and it should produce some great games. But hard to see any of them opening the Sunday Game highlights show even when the best All Ireland game could be dull in comparison.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7651 - 16/04/2024 00:23:54    2538219

Link

Replying To GreenandRed:  "I think they should give top billing to the best game of the weekend. For excitement and a great finish I think that was Kildare v Wicklow last weekend. The camogie league final was a much better game than Dublin v Meath on Sunday. But it looks like Division 1 teams will take top billing and they're most likely to be involved in the live games. In mid April it looks like the All Ireland will be between Dublin, Kerry or Derry. The Tailteann, albeit a lower standard of football, is more difficult to predict and it should produce some great games. But hard to see any of them opening the Sunday Game highlights show even when the best All Ireland game could be dull in comparison."
an honest post, Sundays game was a welter of excitement between a division 3 and a division 4 team, my first game in about 3 years for the rest of the year there will not be a game to come anywhere this one for sheer passion, tenacity, honesty, scores and how they came about but what a finish. With leinster football dead in the water Wicklow won the respect of the nation and for now Kildare are the second best team in leinster.

Cuhullain (Kildare) - Posts: 285 - 16/04/2024 09:40:35    2538268

Link

Replying To wicklowsupport:  "A game that is shown in full and analysed for 30 minutes prior to the match, 15 minutes at half time and 15-30 afterwards shouldn't be top billing on the night show and certainly shouldn't include more analysis - it is idiotic. I have no agenda against any county and I know the top counties will get more coverage then the weaker counterparts but at the beginning of the championship, some exposure should be dedicated to shown the lesser lights who struggle to promote GAA to the wider public. The top counties in each code will have ample opportunity later in the championship to hog and dominate the limelight. With regard to pundits, in yester years, Enda Colleran did a great job on his own analysing gaelic football. A number of pundits nowadays interrupt and compete against each other to dominate the narrative and for speaking time. I'm disappointing with Jacqui since she took over the presenter of the Sunday Game, she just seems to sit there."
Fully agree. Maybe it's just a matter of convenience, or laziness, on RTE's part, but surely they have a duty to cater for a wider range of matches and a wider audience. RTE is funded by license payers and taxpayers, a large proportion of whom are based in so-called weaker counties, and who are entitled to expect a better and fairer balance in coverage of games. The same should apply to the selection of pundits. Do we have to listen to the same voices from Dublin, Kerry and a few other high-profile counties all the time? I'm sure there must be plenty of knowledgable GAA experts in some of the less successful counties.

midlands (Westmeath) - Posts: 583 - 16/04/2024 09:51:57    2538270

Link

Marty on commentary loves lauding the Dubs telling us each player's medal haul and All Star awards as they each get possession… cringe stuff… and don't get me started on his co commentator… the sleep inducer…!!!!

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3029 - 16/04/2024 10:09:53    2538277

Link

Replying To GreenandRed:  "I think they should give top billing to the best game of the weekend. For excitement and a great finish I think that was Kildare v Wicklow last weekend. The camogie league final was a much better game than Dublin v Meath on Sunday. But it looks like Division 1 teams will take top billing and they're most likely to be involved in the live games. In mid April it looks like the All Ireland will be between Dublin, Kerry or Derry. The Tailteann, albeit a lower standard of football, is more difficult to predict and it should produce some great games. But hard to see any of them opening the Sunday Game highlights show even when the best All Ireland game could be dull in comparison."
As Cuhullain points out, the Kildare vs Wicklow game was a good old fashion game - do or die. It was back and forth and the result was in doubt right up to the very end. There were mistakes and the football may not have been the highest level but give me a game like that any day over a choreographed bore fest game any day. You are right in your observation, there is obsession with showing Division 1 even though most Division 1 teams are playing weaken teams and rotating their squad so that they have the right team available later in the championship. Teams are getting far too many chances to remain in the championship, the qualifiers weren't perfect but they were better than the current structure for the Sam Maguire.

wicklowsupport (Wicklow) - Posts: 2023 - 16/04/2024 10:13:20    2538278

Link

TSG is, in my humble opinion, dead in the water and has been for years. As other posters have pointed out, much more eloquently than I could, it has become to PC and almost WOKE in its format. Sanitised. I rarely watch it now unless Wicklow are on show which is even rarer and then you get a few minutes of tooing and frooing with poor commentary by presenters who are obviously never going to make the grade. Edited to the nth degree. Maybe when Mr Bakhurst attends to his more notable priorities, he might take a look at how the sports dept is being run. Wouldn't hold my breath though. Seems to me that too many have their feet too far in under the kitchen table to be removed.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1267 - 16/04/2024 10:29:22    2538285

Link

Replying To wicklowsupport:  "As Cuhullain points out, the Kildare vs Wicklow game was a good old fashion game - do or die. It was back and forth and the result was in doubt right up to the very end. There were mistakes and the football may not have been the highest level but give me a game like that any day over a choreographed bore fest game any day. You are right in your observation, there is obsession with showing Division 1 even though most Division 1 teams are playing weaken teams and rotating their squad so that they have the right team available later in the championship. Teams are getting far too many chances to remain in the championship, the qualifiers weren't perfect but they were better than the current structure for the Sam Maguire."
If memory serves, the qualifiers were introduced to give the "weaker" counties ie those dispatched in the first rounds, a second and maybe third game during summer to compensate for the hard work put in. Again I could be wrong but was it Galway won the All Ireland the first year and possibly Kerry might have win one from a qualifier ? So from then onwards, qualifiers were used by the stronger counties as a back door back in. Not an ideal way but the obvious bonus for the coffers was too much for the powers that be to disregard. Many tweaks and changes have been added in intervening years but, if anything. The elites have pulled further away from the also rans. So, was the introduction of the qualifiers good or bad for the development of our games ? - in hindsight, probably not, at least in football.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 1267 - 16/04/2024 11:00:32    2538295

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "I like a clown watched it last night in the hope they wouldn't concentrate on the shambles in croke park but how wrong was I..would it not make more since to show more highlights of games that havnt been shown live,or am I being stupid for expecting this..I also see RTÉ showing football Saturday but not showing Waterford/cork..would it not be common since to show more hurling in early shows due to number of football qualifiers that are on the way..another thing thought Gaa go were doing matches that would be on the Saturday..am I missing something??also thought Cavanagh was trying to hard to dominate things last night,the idea of showing stuff on screen is that we can see,not have him standing in front of it when Flynn is showing stuff..very amateurish."
Dublin games will always be shown, even if as one sided as the Meath game. The same fate awaits Offaly footballers in the semi final, and all Leinster teams, until there a team beat Dublin. I turned off the Dublin v Meath shambles, once is enough.
There were other games on Sunday, the Kildare/ Louth game had an exciting finish, and other games got brief coverage.
There were games played on Saturday, maybe a highlights of these games on Saturday night would provide better coverage.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 16/04/2024 12:27:54    2538323

Link

Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "Marty on commentary loves lauding the Dubs telling us each player's medal haul and All Star awards as they each get possession… cringe stuff… and don't get me started on his co commentator… the sleep inducer…!!!!"
You mean Eamonn Fitz. ? Marty might get a pass into Coppers for praising Dublin.?

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 16/04/2024 12:35:35    2538326

Link

Replying To Freethinker:  "If memory serves, the qualifiers were introduced to give the "weaker" counties ie those dispatched in the first rounds, a second and maybe third game during summer to compensate for the hard work put in. Again I could be wrong but was it Galway won the All Ireland the first year and possibly Kerry might have win one from a qualifier ? So from then onwards, qualifiers were used by the stronger counties as a back door back in. Not an ideal way but the obvious bonus for the coffers was too much for the powers that be to disregard. Many tweaks and changes have been added in intervening years but, if anything. The elites have pulled further away from the also rans. So, was the introduction of the qualifiers good or bad for the development of our games ? - in hindsight, probably not, at least in football."
It has been a disaster…..? All it does is add a couple more games on to the weaker counties schedule but it has no way improved them … in fact they have got weaker… The one thing it has achieved is that it has plunged more and more County Boards into huge debt….As you rightly point out the strong have got stronger and the weak have got weaker if anything… and a whole lot poorer..!!!!

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3029 - 16/04/2024 13:09:32    2538337

Link