Originally posted by Abruzzi Spur:
Thumbs up to Daithí Regan, maybe it won’t be all that bad. Really enjoy him on Newstalk.

Originally posted by Fr Larry Duff:
Will Trevor Welch be commentating on the Leinster Hurling Final so?? Who was saying ealrier about the women commentators!!

Originally posted by An Fear Rua:
TV3 NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Thursday 15th May 2008

TV3 ANNOUNCES GAA LINE UP FOR THE 2008 CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

Matt Cooper to Present live matches & new midweek GAA magazine show

All-Ireland winners Peter Canavan, Jamesie O`Connor and Joe Kernan part of analysis team

TV3 to broadcast 10 live matches from June 1 including 3 provincial finals

TV3 launch midweek magazine show "Championship Throw In"

TV3 today announced its GAA line up for the forthcoming season. All live matches will be hosted by Matt Cooper. Matt will be joined in studio by three expert panellists for each match including Peter Canavan, Eugene McGee, Senan Connell, Paul Earley, Daithí Regan, Joe Kernan, David Brady, Liam Hayes, Jamesie O`Connor, Nicky English and Liam Griffin.

TV3`s championship team will include, commentators Mike Finnerty and Trevor Welch, while TV3`s Gaelic Games correspondent Kieran McSweeney and TV3`s sports reporter Sinead Kissane, will be transmitting the atmosphere of the occasion and getting the views from the players and the fans.

In addition to the live coverage, TV3 will broadcast a new Thursday prime time magazine show "Championship Throw In" from May 29th. The weekly show will provide the first word on the weekend`s Championship action.

Championship Live begins on TV3 at 1pm on June 1st with the opening round of the Munster Hurling Championship as Clare and Waterford go head to head in Limerick.

Commenting at the launch today David McRedmond, TV3 CEO said:

"Today marks a coming of age for TV3 in its 10th year to become a broadcast partner of the GAA. Showing the national game is essential for a national broadcaster and we are immensely grateful to all at the GAA for making this happen."

Commenting on TV3`s live matches, Nickey Brennan, GAA President said:

"We are delighted to have TV3 on board as a broadcast partner and look forward to working with them. I wish all those involved in the match productions all the very best for the Championship season. The 2008 Championship season offers plenty of opportunities, surprises and perhaps for some, heart break."

On their production for TV3`s live matches, Ciarán Ó hEadhra, Series Producer said:

"We`ve assembled a first class team of experts, a brilliant production team and there are some very exciting games ahead of us this summer. We`re particularly happy to have three Provincial Finals in July and we know that with the passion the fans and the players have for Gaelic Games this will make for a very entertaining first season of GAA on TV3."

TV3 Championship Live Presenter Matt Cooper said:

"I am thrilled to have the chance to present Championship Live on TV3 and to represent hundreds and thousands of fans across the country by getting the views and the opinions of people who are not just fans, but know what is going on because they have done it themselves at the highest levels. When they talk, people will listen and it will add to everyone`s enjoyment of the games."

Images taken at the launch are available courtesy of Sportsfile at +353 1 454 7400 or info@sportsfile.com .

Ends.

TV3 GAA Fixtures
Date Match Competition
1/6/2008 Clare v Waterford MSHC R1
8/6/2008 Dublin v Louth LSFC R1
22/6/2008 Kildare/Wicklow/Laois v Meath/Carlow/Wexford LSFC S/F
29/6/2008 Offaly/Longford/Westmeath v Dublin/Louth LSFC S/F
6/7/2008 Leinster Hurling Final LSHC
13/7/2008 Connacht Football Final CSFC
19/7/2008 Round 1 Qualifiers AIFC
20/7/2008 Ulster Football Final USFC
26/7/2008 Round 2 Qualifiers AIFC
2/8/2008 Round 3 Qualifiers AIFC

Motive Television
The work of Motive Television will be familiar to GAA fans, the company having produced a large number of GAA related programmes, including BREAKING BALL, BBX, PARK LIVE, THE SOUND OF SUNDAY, and MAROONED. The company is currently in production on a 4-hour history of the GAA entitled PART OF WHAT WE ARE.

Matt Cooper  (Presenter  ) 
Live match presenter Matt Cooper`s regular day job is as presenter of The Last Word radio programme on Today FM each weekday between 4.30pm and 7pm. It was the top-rated programme in its time slot in 2007 and includes substantial sports sections on Monday and Friday that include extensive GAA coverage with a panel of football and hurling experts. Matt`s interest in GAA goes back to his childhood, as a footballer and hurler with the Bishopstown club in Cork up to and including minor level. He was schooled at Cork`s famous hurling academy, the North Mon. He is an experienced TV sports presenter and a former newspaper editor. He will also host TV3`s weekly magazine programme "Championship Throw In" each Thursday evening.

Mike Finnerty  (Commentator  ) 
Mike Finnerty, a native of Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, has worked as a GAA commentator with Mid West Radio since 1993 and has been their Chief GAA commentator since 1998. He has worked as a Gaelic football commentator with Setanta Sports since June 2004 and has been their primary commentator on live GAA since January 2007. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from NUI, Galway in 1998, has worked with The Mayo News in Westport since 1999 and has been Sports Editor there since May, 2004.

Trevor Welch  (Commentator  ) 
Trevor Welch is a familiar face to TV3 viewers and a widely respected Sports journalist and broadcaster. Trevor presents the nightly Sports Tonight programme on TV3. He joined TV3 having spent ten years with Irish Multi-Channel TV where he presented and edited the channel`s hugely popular "Sportsnight" show. Trevor is a veteran commentator on national league matches and County championships. He also played hurling for St. Finbars in Cork.

Peter Canavan  (Panellist  ) 
Peter Canavan played for Tyrone for sixteen years winning two All-Irelands and six All Stars. Affectionately known as Peter the Great he has been one of the foremost personalities of recent GAA history. A teacher by profession, Canavan regularly contributes columns to Newspapers and has contributed to Newstalk`s `Off the Ball` and `The Last Word` on Today FM.

Eugene McGee  (Panellist  ) 
A journalist by profession, Eugene McGee has managed both Offaly and Cavan at Inter-County level leading the former to All-Ireland glory when they denied Kerry the five in a row in 1982. A columnist with the Irish Independent and a regular contributor to `The Last Word` on Today FM and `Off the Ball` on Newstalk he has also worked as an analyst on Setanta Sports National league coverage.

Senan Connell  (Panellist  ) 
Senan retired from Inter County football in 2006 having secured his third Leinster title with Dublin, the Grand prize of Sam Maguire having eluded him. A teacher in St. Declans school in Cabra, he has become a recognised figure in media circles because of his tactical and technical expertise. Recently he has worked as an analyst on Setanta Sports Allianz League and O`Byrne Cup broadcasts.

David Brady  (Panellist  ) 
David has just retired in the last few weeks after 14 years as an Inter-County player with Mayo. He has won a National League Medal with Mayo and a club All-Ireland with Ballina and has long been recognised as one of the most articulate and outspoken personalities in the GAA. A former Youth Rugby International he has played under some of the best Managers in Gaelic Football.

Liam Hayes  (Panellist  ) 
Liam won two All-Ireland medals as a player with Meath and later served as manager to Carlow. A journalist/Publisher by profession Liam has started and sold titles such as The Title and Ireland On Sunday. Liam now owns The Gazette Group of local newspapers. He writes a weekly football column for the Sunday Tribune.

Jamesie O`Connor  (Panellist  ) 
Jamesie O`Connor was scorer in chief for the Clare team of the late 90s and early part of the new millennium. His accuracy helped propel the banner county from Munster also rans to double All-Ireland winners. Having retired in 2005 he now combines his position as a teacher at his Alma Mater the famed St. Flannans hurling nursery with print, radio and television work.

Nicky English  (Panellist  ) 
Nicky English was one of the most accomplished hurlers of his era winning two Liam McCarthy Cups with Tipperary in 1989 and 1991. In fourteen years playing with the county he scored 20 goals and 117 points in Championship hurling. In 1999 he took over as manager of the Tipp Senior team and led them to their last All-Ireland title in 2001. A respected commentator on the game he has made numerous contributions to Television and Radio programmes. He is Chief Manager of Marketing and Sales with AIB Finance.

Joe Kernan  (Panellist  ) 
Joe was established as one of the greatest Armagh players ever when he had his first spell in charge of Armagh as a manager, he did not have a great deal of success and returned to Crossmaglen as club manager. Since taking over the Rangers he has had unprecedented success leading the club to All Ireland`s and then Armagh to the Sam Maguire in 2002. He led Armagh to Ulster Final Success in recent years and stood down as manager last year.

Liam Griffin  (Panellist  ) 
One of the most articulate, outspoken, hurling analysts of the last decade. Best known as the man who led Wexford out of the wilderness in 1996 when they won their only All Ireland of the last 40 years. A successful hotelier by profession he writes a weekly column for The Sunday Tribune and is a regular on `The Right Hook` on Newstalk.

Daithí Regan  (Panellist  ) 
Daithí Regan won two All-Ireland medals with Offaly in 1994 and 1998 when they pulled off two of the biggest upsets in hurling history. Since retiring he has become a regular contributor to local and national newspapers and his contributions to Newstalk`s "Off the Ball" programme have become a must for all hurling fans.

Paul Earley  (Panellist  ) 
Paul Earley is a former Roscommon Footballer who won Connacht Championships in 1990 and 1991 as well as an All Star at full forward in 1985. One of the first Irish players to be recruited to Australian Rules he made one appearance with Melbourne in the AFL before returning home for family reasons. A respected pundit, Paul has made regular contributions to Setanta Sports live GAA output and weekly preview show. He is currently manager of Celbridge in the Kildare Senior Football Championship.

Originally posted by On the border:
TV3 have got good panellists which is a good start. English, Jamesie and Dathie Regan would be preferable to any of Finnerty, Tomas Mul and Cyril...would take or leave Griffin to be honest. Though there are only 2 hurling matches on the schedule so they wont have much time to gel.

I dont have much time for trevor welch but he might surprise us. Kissane deserved the gig on the sideline after the EoS incident during the rugby world cup.

Originally posted by Porky Kweeve:
Did this Press Issue come with picutes AFR?

This message has been edited - 16-may-2008 @ 11:57

Originally posted by 4 All Irelands:
I never realised that Trevor Welch used to hurl for the `Barrs.

Originally posted by Welger AP630:






Here, happy now?

This message has been edited - 16-may-2008 @ 16:37

Originally posted by Porky Kweeve:
Not really a fan of blonds, but happy enough to ask their names.

This message has been edited - 16-may-2008 @ 19:31