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
