GAAGO controversy puts Tipperary and Cork hurling thriller in the shade

It would have taken a lot to overshadow the excitement and drama of last Saturday night’s drawn game between Tipperary and Cork in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

However, considering the groundswell of disappointment and anger that has built over the broadcast of the game on the online subscription channel GAAGO, that’s exactly what has happened.

The grumblings and rumblings of discontent that had been building in recent weeks over the televising of championship games came to a head the night after the match on The Sunday Game, with former Cork goalkeeper Dónal Óg Cusack, in a hard-hitting and impassioned speech, claiming that the GAA has failed hurling because of its failure, and that of RTÉ, to screen more Munster championship games on free-to-air television.

Another Corkman, none other than Tánaiste Micheál Martin, added his voice to the debate on Monday, saying that all inter-county GAA championship matches should be free to air, and that it has been his “personal view” for a “long, long time” that fans should not be subjected to extra charges to watch GAA matches online.

The counter argument, that all of the hurling and football championship matches can’t be shown live on free-to-air television, is a valid one.

However, the GAA and RTÉ have missed a trick by omitting plum fixtures such as the hurling clashes of Tipperary and Cork, and Limerick and Clare from the free-to-air schedule, and that’s what really rankles with hurling supporters not just in the competing counties but around the country.

Meanwhile, the result of last weekend’s game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh leaves Tipperary unbeaten with three points and joint top of the round robin table in the province with Cork after two matches, as they prepare to face All-Ireland champions Limerick at FBD Semple Stadium at 4pm on Sunday week, May 21 - a game, incidentally, that will be shown live on RTÉ.