GAELIC GAMES:BOTH THE GAA and TG4 have taken issue with Galway hurling manager John McIntyre's suggestion that live television is undermining attendances at the county's matches.

GAA director general Páraic Duffy said whereas there was a problem for the county, he didn’t believe it was confined to those matches being broadcast live.

“There’s an issue with Galway, who aren’t attracting big crowds in Pearse Stadium. I don’t think there’s a link between games live on TG4 and league attendances. I’m sure it does have some effect but I wouldn’t see it as a huge issue.

“I sympathise with John McIntyre in that Galway attendances have been disappointing but I’m not sure that that’s to do with TV coverage. I would say that Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Tipp and Dublin all attract bigger attendances at this stage.”

The matter originally arose on Sunday when, after the injury-time defeat of Dublin had pushed his team to the top of the Division One table, McIntyre called for the county’s hurling supporters to turn out for next weekend’s big clash with All-Ireland champions Tipperary. Galway are poised within one win of taking the defence of their league title to next month’s final.

“Yeah, I’m appealing for every Galway supporter to turn out in Pearse Stadium next Sunday. It’s the last time they’re going to see Galway on home turf this year. It’s only early April, the All-Ireland champions are rolling into town, and there is no reason why, if it’s marketed properly, and the Galway supporters turn out and support the team, there shouldn’t be up to 15,000 in Pearse Stadium next Sunday.”

The Galway manager was obviously concerned his team’s two home matches to date against Wexford and Kilkenny have averaged crowds of little more than 1,000. “The difficulty is that both matches were live on TV,” according to McIntyre, “and that’s not helping. I’m hoping our game against Tipperary is not relayed live on TV; we’re tired of being on telly. We want the supporters to come out and rally behind the team. We’re putting a lot of hard work in and it’s a chance for the Galway supporters to see the All-Ireland champions as well.”

TG4 confirmed yesterday however the Galway-Tipp match will be shown live. “We picked that last Monday or Tuesday,” the Irish-language channel’s head of sport Rónán Ó Coisdealbha said. “We look at the tables and try to provide the public with the best possible game.

“There’s a perception we prioritise counties with bigger Irish-speaking populations but that’s not the case. By the end of the season we’ll have an overall, fair balance between the counties, allowing for who’s been doing well. I can see where John McIntyre is coming from because Galway do get covered a lot but so do Kilkenny, Cork and Waterford.

“We have a restricted choice at the best of times in the hurling league, as there are so few big games. Then take into account matches on the Saturday night, which Setanta has the rights to it and our choice is even more limited.” Ó Coisdealbha added there wasn’t much of a difference in viewing figures between any of the broadcast matches. “We get a steady audience for matches regardless of who’s playing.”

One issue for the county is that Pearse Stadium in Salthill is not regarded as being at the epicentre of football or hurling. Tuam is the traditional home of the footballers whereas east Galway venues such as Ballinasloe, Loughrea or Athenry are more attractive venues for hurling supporters.

Duffy says the association is happy with the trade-off between what the GAA gets from televising league matches and any impact that has on attendances. “We take the view live broadcasting has a promotional value. We show 40 championship games in the summer. That’s just 40. If we didn’t show league matches our exposure would be well behind rugby and soccer, which have Celtic League on RTÉ and TG4 and League of Ireland on RTÉ and Setanta and the promotion of the games would suffer. If there is a financial loss it’s worth the promotional benefits of live coverage on TG4 and Setanta and the highlights programme on RTÉ on Sunday evening.

Galway have invited hundreds of school children free of charge to Sunday’s match. They have invited the hurling, camogie and handball teams who will participate in the Under-14 Féile na nGael in June.