The 2017 TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Championships were launched today at Croke Park as all 32 counties were represented at the venue that will host the TG4 Junior, Intermediate and Senior All Ireland finals on September 24th.

Cork will defend their TG4 Senior All Ireland title when they meet Monaghan on August 7th in the first match that will be televised from the 2017 Senior Championship. The champions will have it all to do if they are to make it an incredible 7th All Ireland title in a row as the winners of that match will then face Galway in the All Ireland Quarter Final.

Donegal await the winners of the Mayo versus Kildare All Ireland Qualifier with newly crowned Munster Champions, Kerry, awaiting the winner of the Westmeath v Armagh qualifier. The first match of the TG4 Senior All Ireland Championship will see Cavan meet Laois on July 22nd with the winner taking on Waterford in the Qualifier with Dublin awaiting the victor of that qualifier.

The TG4 Intermediate Championship also gets underway on July 22nd as Limerick play Wicklow in the first preliminary round match and Offaly take on Louth in the second preliminary round match. The 4 newly crowned TG4 Provincial champions; Meath, Tipperary, Sligo and Tyrone, will enter the All Ireland series at the Quarter Finals stage.

The TG4 Junior Championship will see the 7 competing counties separated into two groups with Group A consisting of both of the British finalists along with Carlow and Kilkenny whilst Antrim, Derry and Fermanagh contesting Group B with the top two in each group going forward to the semi finals.

It was also announced that, for the first time, video footage will be used to help assist referees assess scoring incidents where required. An official, the scores assistant, will now sit in the TG4 production vans at all televised matches where they will have the benefit of all available television angles to help judge if a score has taken place. In further news of technological developments, it has also been confirmed that, for the first time, Hawkeye will be used, where the technology is available, including at the TG4 All Ireland Finals on September 24th.

TG4 also launched their new championship campaign #properfan as official sponsors of the Ladies All Ireland Championships. The humorous campaign challenges supporters of sport to be 'proper fans' who watch sport based on the quality of the game and not who is playing it. TG4 are the original 'proper fan' having sponsored Ladies Gaelic Football and televised matches live for over 16 years giving the game a profile that has seen attendance records rise consistently to the point where 34,450 people attended last year's TG4 All Ireland Finals in 2016.

Speaking at the Launch of the 2017 TG4 Championship LGFA president, Marie Hickey said 'We are already enjoying an incredible year on the field as we see some traditional powers struggle and the emergence of some new contenders which only adds to the excitement. Ladies Gaelic Football is a sport that is consistently evolving and, with thanks to our friends in TG4, we are able to introduce the use of video assistance for scoring situations. This is a vitally important development as it is available at every ground and at every match that is being televised. We are determined that, where possible, we have a level playing field for all of our players regardless of what stage of the competition they are playing in. Having said that, we are aware that technology, like Hawkeye, is a great assistance to our officials which is why the Hawkeye technology will also be used where available to ensure that referees have the best assistance possible.'

Leascheannasaí TG4,  Pádhraic Ó Ciardha, said "The Championship season is gearing up fully now and excitement mounts as the contenders gear up for the big days ahead.  TG4 is proud to present these thrilling, winner takes all, fixtures, broadcast live and free to view on all TV platforms, all over Ireland and globally on our Player. Our TV coverage once again will introduce additional technical enhancements  and we will also be inviting  "proper fans" to make themselves known to us - in a nationwide promotion that you'll see coming at you over the coming weeks."

Saturday, July 22nd

TG4 Intermediate All Ireland Championship Preliminary Round

Louth v Offaly, Ashbourne, 1:45pm (A. Gallagher)

(Winner to play Wexford in Qualifier)

TG4 Senior All Ireland Championship Preliminary Round

Cavan v Laois, Ashbourne, 12:00pm (G. Corrigan) 

(Winner to play Waterford in Qualifier)

 

Sunday, July 23rd

TG4 Intermediate All Ireland Championship Preliminary Round

Limerick v Wicklow, Crettyard GAA Club, 2:00pm (J. Gallagher)

(Winner to play Clare in Qualifier)

Tweet

Most Read Stories