TG4 viewing figures soar for All-Ireland ladies finals
Although the attendance at Croke Park last Sunday (48,000) didn't come close to the record 56,000 for the Dublin/Galway All-Ireland Final in 2019, the audience watching on at home soared.
According to official TAM Ireland/Nielsen reach figures nearly 490,000 viewers tuned into TG4's coverage of Finals Day, which featured the senior, intermediate and junior deciders across the afternoon.
The senior decider between Dublin and Meath attracted an average audience of 172,500 (27percent share), representing an audience increase of 16percent compared to the 2024 senior final.
Viewing peaked at 5:43pm as Dublin closed in on regaining the Brendan Martin Cup.
The average audience for the Intermediate Final (Tyrone v Laois) was 93,900, with the Junior Final (Antrim v Louth) at 32,600.
There was a 37percent increase in live streams across the three finals compared to 2024, which also reflects a broader trend in the growing popularity of live online sport.
And there were over 3.4 million views of Spórt TG4 social media channels during finals week.
Nicole Owens' spectacular goal for Dublin had 120,000 views within just 24 hours.
TG4 have been partnering with the LGFA since 2001, making this their 25th year covering the games.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
19 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Former England prop Ellena Perry in line to make Ireland debut against Canada
Former England international Ellena Perry is set to make her Ireland debut off the bench in the World Cup warm-up game against Canada at the Affidea Stadium in Belfast on Saturday (12pm). The 28-year-old Gloucester-Hartpury prop, who won 11 caps for England, the last in November 2020, qualifies for Ireland through a maternal grandfather. It comes a week after another former English international, the Hong Kong-born centre Nancy McGillivray made a try-scoring debut for Ireland in the 27-21 win over Scotland at Musgrave Park. Irish head coach Scott Bemand has made 10 changes to the starting side that beat Scotland in Cork last weekend. Wing Béibhinn Parsons, outhalf Dannah O'Brien and the backrow of Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati and Brittany Hogan are retained. READ MORE Hooker Neve Jones will lead out the run-on team as captain Sam Monaghan is named among the replacements. In the pack, Niamh O'Dowd and Linda Djougang join Jones in the frontrow. Fiona Tuite and Ruth Campbell make up the engine room. Connacht's Aoibheann Reilly starts at scrumhalf, Enya Breen partners Aoife Dalton in the centre with Anna McGann and Stacey Flood coming into the back three. Bemand said: 'Having another opportunity to test ourselves is essential in the run up to the Rugby World Cup and we know Canada will provide us with a really strong test. 'Last week we fought back hard from conceding early tries and we know we will need to start stronger this week. There is a lot at stake with the squad for the Rugby World Cup being announced early next week.' Ireland open their World Cup campaign against Japan at Franklin's Gardens on Sunday, August 24th. They also face Spain and New Zealand in the pool stages of the tournament. IRELAND (v Canada, World cup-warm-up, Affidea Stadium, Belfast, Saturday, 12pm): Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), Anna McGann (Railway Union); Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht); Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster); Grace Moore (Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs/Connacht), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster). Replacements: Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)*, Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock College/Leinster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Ulster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster). *Denotes uncapped player
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Mason Melia central to St Pat's hopes of producing big European shock against Besiktas
Uefa Conference League third qualifying round, first leg: St Patrick's Athletic v Besiktas, Tallaght Stadium, 7.45pm – Live, Solid Sport (stream) Mason Melia 's first media interview briefly took the attention off the enormous task facing St Patrick's Athletic against Turkish giants Besiktas on Thursday night. Ole Gunnar Solskjær brings a star-studded squad to Tallaght with a value of €143 million, according to Stephen Kenny 's side are worth just €4 million, which is a questionable figure considering that Tottenham Hotspur paid an initial €1.9 million transfer fee for Melia. But the point holds. The visitors' threat starts with former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who is on loan from Roma having recently made way for Evan Ferguson. Orkun Kokcu was a key figure for Turkey at Euro 2024. As was Czech left back David Jurasek. There is quality all over the pitch, with Kenny remembering Portuguese pair Joao Mario and Rafa Silva from the Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired 2-1 defeat of his Ireland side in 2021. READ MORE Victory over two legs would trump Kenny's glory days, when he guided Dundalk to the 2016 Europa League group stage. St Pat's bring the experience of being narrowly eliminated last season by another Istanbul side, Basaksehir, which was also the moment a 16-year-old convinced Tottenham he was worth his lucrative five-year contract. 'I think that [Basaksehir] game itself, in isolation, transformed how he [Melia] was viewed,' Kenny concurred. St Pat's manager Stephen Kenny. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Melia moves to north London in January, but the wonder is how much the teenager has developed these past 12 months while commuting from north Wicklow to Inchicore. 'I've grown into more of a man,' said the 17-year-old. 'I feel like I've got a bit bigger. 'I think I've always had my football head. Even the little things I'm learning on and off the pitch, I think I've grown into myself. I'm feeling more physical and ready for a bigger challenge.' The concern around Irish teenagers being denied a move to an English club until they turn 18 is countered by Melia's superb displays in recent European qualifiers. 'I've gained so much experience,' he continued. 'I'm still only 17 but I've played over 80 games in senior football now, and I have nights like tomorrow to look forward to. I think everything has worked out the way I would like it to work out.' The wizard of Richmond Park gave Melia a compliment recently. 'Chris Forrester said to me, 'how are you so relaxed?' I just take everything in my stride, it's what I'm here to do.' Melia, sounding as confidant as a veteran, continued: 'I've always been disciplined. I've known what I want since I was young. I did my Junior Cert and sat down with my Ma [Pamela] and said 'this is what I want to do'. 'I think it's just natural to me now, it's my job. It's what I love doing, which helps, and I think I'm really disciplined. Besiktas head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Photograph:'It's just always been football, ever since I was young, I think I started when I was about four. My family's a big football family because of my uncle [former Ireland international Clive Clarke].' St Pat's have sold over 7,000 tickets for what they hope can be a famous upset against a Besiktas side still mired in preseason. 'You have to draw on all your experiences,' said Kenny. 'They come into play. But, equally, it is a different challenge. We obviously did play Istanbul Başakşehir last year so the players have experience of playing a top Turkish team. 'It would be one of the great victories in Irish football history if we could do it. But obviously it's a big challenge, and Besiktas have a tremendous tradition and are in institution in Turkey, a big club. So we're looking forward to the game.' St Pat's must plan without injured pair Zach Elbouzedi (shoulder) and Aidan Keena for the foreseeable future, but a new signing, Jamaican winger Jordan Garrick, could feature in place of Elbouzedi. The nature of Turkish football sees Solskjær under pressure to keep his job following last week's elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Shakhtar Donetsk, 6-2 on aggregate. 'I've been lucky to manage against some really tough international coaches but I don't tend not to get hung up on them,' Kenny added. 'It's more about the teams you play. 'I'm always fascinated by the teams, tactically how they are. They've got a lot of good players and can change tactically. 'Rather than focus on personalities, we're focusing on the team – how it operates, how it plays, attack and defend. Those are the main facets and how we deal with that.'
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Shelbourne boss Joey O'Brien tempers expectation after famous win in Croatia
The local reporters had no idea. Joey O'Brien's Shelbourne had just secured a 2-1 victory over HNK Rijeka in the Europa League qualifier on Wednesday night, with headed second-half goals from Sam Bone and John Martin stunning the Croatian champions to set up a fascinating second-leg next Tuesday at Tolka Park. 'Coach, do you consider this to be your biggest win in your coaching career?' 'My coaching career?' O'Brien responded with a laugh. 'I think it is only my eighth game as a coach. I have not been doing it for too long.' O'Brien was being humble. The 39-year-old decided not to include the draws Shelbourne secured in Waterford and Galway during his five days as interim manager after Damien Duff unexpectedly resigned on June 22nd. READ MORE The former Republic of Ireland international also left out the three in a half years he worked as Duff's number two, guiding the Drumcondra club back into Europe and last season to their first League of Ireland title since 2006. Before that, the former West Ham defender played out his career at Shamrock Rovers before going directly into coaching on retirement in 2022. Tolka Park can only hold 3,650 spectators next week, as Uefa have reduced the capacity from 5,700. The alternative was to follow St Patrick's Athletic to Tallaght Stadium or make a giant leap into the Aviva Stadium. None of this concerned a laser-focused O'Brien. Shelbourne manager Joey O'Brien applauds the travelling supporters after the win over Rijeka. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho 'In European football, whoever you play, that first half, players are feeling each other out. You see the speed, are they quick or slow? 'To give a boxing analogy, you are jabbing away to see what you are up against. Then you get into the flow of things. 'Next week? The players have a feel of each other. They are a really good team and still the favourites.' The Croatian reporters were also up to speed: 'Joey, are you prepared for a knock-out punch?' 'Ah listen, we have a good record at home, we always want to play on the front foot. It is going to be a really difficult game, we have a small advantage.' This famous result was only available to watch on the Solid Sport streaming service, as no Irish broadcaster purchased the rights, while no written media travelled from Ireland to the Croatian port town. A travelling support of 200 also hints that expectations were not too high. The expectation was that Rijeka would bounce Shelbourne into the Uefa Conference League playoff as they progress to the Europa League playoff, to reach the group stage, against the winner of POAK (Greece) and Wolfsberger (Austria). Also, Ole Gunnar Solskær and Turkish side Besiktas are in Dublin for tonight's Conference League qualifier at Tallaght Stadium. Shelbourne's John Martin celebrates scoring the winning goal. Photograph: Aleksandar Djorovic/Inpho If Shels progress to the Europa League they will receive a Uefa bonus of €4.31 million. The prize money drops to €3.17 million for reaching the Conference League, which would happen automatically if they lost their playoff tie by losing a playoff tie. If Rijeka turn the tie around in the second leg, Shels will face the winner of Linfield and Vikingur (Faroe Islands) to secure Conference League football into December and potentially next year. The club has already secured prize money of around €1.7 million for making it this far. Shamrock Rovers banked €6.2 million after last season's run to the Conference knock-out round. Shelbourne have had some special nights in Europe before Wednesday's win in Rijeka. There was the 0-0 Champions League result against Deportivo La Coruna when Wes Hoolahan and Jason Byrne gave the Spanish side a scare in front of 25,000 Irish, and not just Shels fans, at Lansdowne Road in August 2004. Pat Fenlon's team lost the second leg 3-0. None of this matters to O'Brien who continually centred the narrative around the present tense. 'I didn't really like us in the first half on our own possession, I thought we turned over the ball a bit too much. 'I think our shape out of possession was really good. In the dressingroom we spoke about the second half, getting on the ball a bit more and showing our quality. At times we done that. Still, I don't think we showed how good we really are in possession. 'It is a real difficult stadium, really difficult coming over here to play this level of opposition. We don't play this opposition, a team as good as that, in our league. 'I said it to the boys, European football, for me, when I was playing I always saw it as four halves of football. We have two halves to go, with a small advantage. 'The record of every team from our country away from home in Europe is not very good,' he added. 'We have a good squad of players, it was one of the reasons I wanted to take this job, the quality that we have in the dressingroom, at times we showed that tonight. 'I still don't think we are favourites to go through. 'It is a home leg for us. We have a good record at home. Still all to play for.'
