GAA News

Armchair Gaelic Football fans are in for a treat this weekend as it has been confirmed that the most appetising qualifier in yesterday’s draw will be broadcast live.

Kerry and Tyrone have dominated the Gaelic Football landscape for the best part of the last decade, sharing seven All-Irelands between them between 2003 and 2009, and although neither side pack the same punch they did during those heady years, both teams still have enough about them to deliver a cracking contest on Saturday afternoon.

The match-up of Jack O’Connor and Mickey Harte was by far the most glamorous of the games thrown up by yesterday’s draw, but for a while, it looked as if the only people lucky enough to witness it would be those in attendance at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney on Saturday afternoon.

According to a report in the Daily Star this morning, TV3 – who have the rights to show one of the four qualifier games on Saturday – wanted Kerry v Tyrone to be fixed for the prime television slot of 7pm on Saturday evening.

The Tyrone County Board, however, requested a 3pm throw-in to allow their travelling contingent sufficient time to make the long trek back up north after the game.

It is believed that TV3 considered broadcasting another of the qualifier games live instead, but a compromise was reached with Croke Park and the game will now be shown live on TV3 at 5pm, good news for the thousands of neutrals who will be eager to catch a glimpse.

Home advantage means that Kerry are likely to go into the game as favourites, but Tyrone have had the Indian sign over the Kingdom in the Championship, beating them in the 2005 and 2008 All-Ireland Finals and in the 2003 All-Ireland semi-final en route to their first ever title in 2003.

As they had going into their victory over Armagh in 2006, Kerry will have serious motivation to get one over their northern rivals on Saturday, but Tyrone looked impressive against Roscommon and weren’t too far away from Donegal, while Mickey Harte will probably have an ace or two up his sleeve.

It promises to be a cracker so cancel any IKEA shopping trips with the missus or anything else you might have planned for Saturday afternoon and mark your territory on the couch for what should be great entertainment.

Throw-in at Fitzgerald Stadium in on Saturday at 5pm.