Women's football 2003 Championship: The 2003 TG4 All-Ireland Women's football championships were launched by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at a reception in Croke Park yesterday. At the launch it was announced that TG4 would be extending their sponsorship of the championships until 2006.

TG4 has been the official sponsor for the past two years and also holds exclusive live television rights. This year's All-Ireland finals will be played in Croke Park on Sunday, October 5th and will be broadcast live on TG4.

For the first time, the finals will also be streamed live on the TG4 website www.tg4.ie.

In addition to live coverage of the All-Ireland finals, TG4 will also broadcast other selected matches live and will provide highlights of all stages of the championships on Tuesday nights.

In his comments the Taoiseach said that the game had gone from strength to strength as a spectator sport.

"The popularity of the sport is clear as more than 33,000 supporters attended the football final in Croke Park in 2002."

Last year's final saw Mayo win a third All-Ireland in four years, defeating Monaghan in the final.

TG4 ceannasaí Pól Ó Gallchóir also welcomed the extension of the partnership. "Our mutually beneficial relationship with Cumann Peil Gael na mBan is one of which we are particularly proud," he said.

The broadcasts of the matches, he said, had made a significant contribution to the success of the channel, which has seen its audience share grow by 600 per cent.

Geraldine Giles, uachtarán Cumann Peil Gael na mBan, said that the skills on display and the interest of the public had never been higher and she was confident that 2003 would be the best season yet.