Dublin's opener to kick off TV3 coverage

GAELIC GAMES:TV3 HAVE secured the exclusive rights to Dublin's Leinster Football Championship opener against Wexford on June 13th – one of their 10 live championship broadcasts this summer under the GAA's split-deal between themselves and RTÉ.

They will also show both the Munster and Connacht Senior Football Championship finals, and get “first pick” of three football qualifiers. Details of TV3’s live championship broadcasts were announced yesterday, and begin on June 13th in Croke Park with that Leinster football quarter-final where Dublin take on Wexford.

TV3 will also show the Leinster football semi-final on June 27th, when either Dublin or Wexford will play Meath, Offaly or Laois – and on the same day will show the Connacht football semi-final involving Galway against Mayo or Sligo.

Their hurling coverage begins on June 20th when All-Ireland champions Kilkenny will play Dublin, Carlow or Laois in the Leinster semi-final, while on the same day TV3 will have live coverage of the Munster hurling semi-final between Limerick and the winners of the Cork and Tipperary game.

In addition, both the Munster senior football final on July 4th and the Connacht senior football final on July 18th will be broadcast exclusively live on TV3. Finally, TV3 has first call in three qualifying rounds of the football qualifiers, which are scheduled to begin on June 26th.

“We’re really excited to be heading into our third season of broadcasting live championship action,” said TV3 Sports Editor, Kieran Holden.

“We hope to build on what we achieved in 2008 and 2009 and make 2010 the best year yet for championship football and hurling on TV3.”

RTÉ have the broadcast rights to the remaining fixtures, the details of which will be announced later this month.

With this Sunday being reserved for Lá na gClub, it will be Sunday week before the championship gets underway proper, with football openers in Leinster, Munster and Ulster when Wicklow play Carlow, Kerry play Tipperary, and Derry play Armagh respectively.

As part of Lá na gClub, a hurling challenge between Kilkenny and Waterford has been arranged for Sunday evening to mark the official opening of a €2.5-million euro development at the Mooncoin club.

The new complex includes two full size pitches, camogie and juvenile pitches, a new stand, floodlights, a fully kitted gym, plus dressing and meeting rooms.

The game throws-in at 7pm, and will also mark Henry Shefflin’s first intercounty appearance for Kilkenny of 2010. Shefflin sat out the early rounds of the league as he concentrated on helping Ballyhale Shamrocks claim a record fifth All-Ireland club title on St Patrick’s Day – and has been on an extended break ever since.

The Waterford team is also set to feature Michael “Brick” Walsh at centre-back, who missed the last two months of the league after sustaining a broken bone in his arm in the second-round defeat to Galway back on February 28th.

Down football manager James McCartan has indicated that his younger brother Daniel is unlikely to appeal against the eight-week ban imposed following his dismissal in last month’s Division Two final defeat to Armagh.

The corner-back had his suspension upheld by the Central Hearings Committee on Tuesday night, and that, suggested McCartan, didn’t give them much hope or reason for pursuing the matter to the Central Appeals Committee.

Meanwhile, Croke Park is seeking applications for its 2010 Community Fund. The Fund was created in 2009 to support community based projects in the area around the stadium.

“We are conscious of the impact that the stadium can potentially have on the local community,” said GAA president Christy Cooney.

“While at all times we seek to minimise that impact, we felt we should also invest in the community. Our initial investment saw the creation of a community facility in the Tivoli Centre. The community fund is an extension of this policy.”

Full details of the fund and application forms can both be sourced on the About-Community section of the Croke Park website crokepark.ie. Opel Ireland has also announced the launch of the 2010 Opel Kit for Clubs initiative, where supporters are encouraged to collect points to earn free sports kit and equipment for their local club.

New to the scheme this year is the inclusion of a car service, where club users will earn points for servicing their vehicle at an Opel Dealership.

Details can be found on opelkitforclubs.com.

TV3 Live championship Broadcasts

June 13th: Leinster football quarter-final, Dublin v Wexford.

June 20th: Leinster hurling semi-final, Kilkenny v Dublin, Carlow or Laois; Munster hurling semi-final, Limerick v Cork or Tipperary.

June 26th: First pick of the All-Ireland football qualifiers June 27th: Leinster football semi-final, Dublin or Wexford v Meath, Offaly or Laois; Connacht football semi-final, Galway v Mayo or Sligo.

July 4th: Munster senior football final

July 18th: Connacht senior football final.