27-05-2025
Oisin McConville's mother Margaret 'couldn't fathom' Armagh/Derry wasn't on TV
Oisin McConville says his mother Margaret 'couldn't fathom' that the Armagh/Derry All-Ireland series opener at the weeknd wasn't on TV or available online.
Crossmaglen club legend and former secretary Margaret was one of many left wondering how the All-Ireland champions' opening defence of their crown wasn't accessible for GAA fans to watch at home.
The Athletic Grounds was packed to the rafters with a crowd of just under 15,000 there to see Derry come from 13 points behind, only to end up losing by 2-21 to 2-17 at the Armagh City venue, with Rian O'Neill making his return to the Armagh starting line-up.
But the game wasn't available on RTE or GAA+, with minimal highlights on the Saturday Game.
RTE's picks for the weekend were the do or die Munster Hurling Championship game between Waterford and Cork, and the Galway/Dublin Leinster hurling tie, which determined who would be in the provincial final against Kilkenny.
On the Saturday, GAA+ had their pick of four games and went for Tyrone's trip to Ballybofey to face Donegal, and Louth versus Monaghan from Newbridge.
The games not screened were Derry versus Armagh and Meath's home tie with Cork.
In previous year's the GAA have stated that were it not for GAA+ (previously GAA+) games like Donegal/Tyrone and Monaghan/Louth would not have been screened at all.
And while this is true, the broadcast rights landscape has changed this year, with the GAA buying out RTE's 50percent stake in GAAGO and rebranding it as GAA+.
While RTE still pay for their package of games, GAA+ are at liberty to live stream as many of the other games as they please.
To add to the confusion, Clubber and TG4 have been live streaming games from hurling's lower tiers, proving that it is possible to make more games available with alternative scheduling.
Hurling fans have complained for a number of years that high profile Munster games haven't been available to watch anywhere.
Part of the reason is that gate receipts still form a huge percentage of the GAA's annual income, far more than in sports like soccer and rugby, where TV rights command more money as they have an international audience and more bidders.
There is also the cost of outside broadcasts for GAA+, but they may be able to recoup this with fans paying to watch the live streams.
With attendances appearing to go through the roof for games this year, more ties may well be televised on GAA+ next year.
The BBC also have rights to screen Ulster Championship games.
But none of this was any good to Margaret McConville and rafts of other fans, hoping to watch the Armagh/Derry game.
Speaking on the BBC GAA Social podcast with Thomas Niblock, Oisin McConville, with his tongue in his cheek, said: 'Mags is not happy. She's in a fit of rage because there was no coverage of that game anywhere.
'She just can't fathom that that would happen, as she said, 'In this day and age. I had to leave the house. She couldn't understand it. I have never seen here quite as disconsolate as she was.
'Everybody got a touch. Sky, BBC, RTE, GAA+ - they all got it. She doesn't miss you when there's an issue. Let's just say, she's disapppionted.'
Podcast host Niblock said: 'It's a very serious point. I know we are having a bit of fun about it.
'It's incredible that last year's All-Ireland champions playing last year's Division 1 champions wasn't televised. People were crying out for coverage of it. It seemed a strange one. There's no doubt about it.'
