Sky Sports confirm 2017 line-up of live GAA coverage
Dick Clerkin joins punditry team
Wednesday 17 May 2017 13:20, UK
All-Ireland Football champions Dublin will kick off Sky Sports' live action in 2017 after revealing its most comprehensive season of GAA coverage.
After confirmation of a new five-year deal between Sky Sports and the GAA in December, Tuesday's announcement at Croke Park in Dublin confirmed the line-up as viewers can look forward to 20 live games on our channels.
The first of 14 exclusively live games will be on June 3 when back-to-back Sam Maguire winners Dublin begin their quest to become the first team since the Kerry side of the mid-1980s to win three successive senior football titles.
We switch to hurling on June 4 when Sky Sports will show its first Munster Senior Hurling Championship game when Clare and Limerick battle it out for a place in the provincial final.
"This is my third year with Sky and I'm delighted to be back. My time with Sky has coincided with back-to-back titles for the Dubs, so it's going to be fascinating to see if they can make it three in a row.
Sky Sports' second week of exclusive Championship coverage gets underway when Kilkenny open their campaign and go in search of their fourth successive LSHC title.
Live coverage continues through each round of the season culminating in the Hurling and Football Championship finals in September.
As ever, we will take you inside the game with in-depth analysis from our team of GAA legends. Rachel Wyse and Brian Carney host the action and they are joined in 2017 by Monaghan football legend Dick Clerkin.
"After 17 years playing inter-county football with Monaghan, I hope I'll be able to bring some expertise and analysis to the Sky punditry team," said Clerkin.
"This year's championship has all the hallmarks of a highly competitive campaign and I look forward to being right in the thick of it."
Clerkin joins a stellar line-up of experts including former Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, Tyrone legend Peter Canavan, Clare's two-time All-Ireland winner Jamesie O'Connor, Kilkenny's nine-time All-Ireland SHC champion JJ Delaney, James Horan and Ollie Canning.
Since first partnering with the GAA in 2014, Sky Sports has brought GAA fans in Ireland and the UK closer to the action through decades of global sports broadcasting experience, as well as bespoke developments designed for football and hurling.
Sky Sports' investment in Gaelic Games extends beyond the Championship, and includes several grassroots partnerships with the GAA such as GAA Super Games Centres, GAA Youth Forum and GAA Coaching Conference.
Sky Ireland's Managing Director JD Buckley, said: "Our partnership with the GAA has gone from strength to strength and we're really excited by this being the first season in our new five-year partnership deal.
"Our insightful line up of GAA experts will truly bring viewers inside the game like never before. We are excited about the future and how Sky Sports can continue to stand out with continuous innovation, knowledge and expertise at the heart of our GAA coverage."
Sky Sports full GAA 2017 fixture list
Exclusive to Sky Sports
Saturday June 3 - Dublin v Carlow/Wexford (Leinster SFC quarter-final) - 7pm
Sunday June 4 - Clare v Limerick (Munster SHC semi-final) - 4pm
Saturday June 10 - Kilkenny v Wexford/Group Team (Leinster SHC semi-final) - 7pm
Saturday June 17 - Kildare/Laois/Longford v Meath/Louth Wicklow (Leinster SFC semi-final) - 7pm
Saturday July 1 - Football or Hurling Qualifier - 7pm
Saturday July 8 - Football or Hurling Qualifier - 7pm
Saturday July 15 - Football Qualifier Rd 3b (5pm) and Football Qualifier Rd 3b (7pm)
Saturday July 22 - Football Qualifier Rd 4a (5pm) and Football Qualifier Rd 4a (7pm)
Saturday July 29 - Football Qualifier Rd 4b (5pm) and Football Qualifier Rd 4b (7pm)
Saturday August 5 - All-Ireland Football Quarter-Final (4pm) and All-Ireland Football Quarter-Final (6pm)
Semi-Final and Finals
Sunday August 6 - All-Ireland Hurling semi-final (3.30pm)
Sunday August 13 - All-Ireland Hurling semi-final (3.30pm)
Sunday August 20- All-Ireland Football semi-final (3.30pm)
Sunday August 27 - All-Ireland Football semi-final (3.30pm)
Sunday September 3 - All-Ireland hurling final (3.30pm)
Sunday September 17 - All-Ireland football final (3.30pm)
Ahead of this year's Championship campaign, new and existing Sky Sports customers can, from this Friday (May 19), enjoy half price Sky Sports for 6 months.
And for the first time, GAA fans can now see all the action instantly and without a contract via NOWTV.com from €10.
