Taoiseach launches 2005 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship

An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD, launched the 2005 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship at a reception in Croke Park today.

TG4 has been the official sponsor of the All-Ireland Ladies Senior and Junior Football Championships for the past four years and also holds exclusive live television rights for both championships. This year will now be year two of a three-year sponsorship deal between TG4 and Cumann Peil Gael na mBan.

In his comments today, An Taoiseach, an avid supporter of Ladies Football said: “Ladies football offers great sporting opportunities for young women at a time when many people are looking for ways of increasing female participation in sports. And we must continue to do all that we can to maintain the momentum and to bring football within the reach of all young women now and in the future.”

“Last year's All Ireland series was one of the most exciting yet and I would like to wish the Association, the players, County Board officials, clubs and coaches who are primed for this year's championship every success in the months ahead.”

Ladies Gaelic Football is recognised as the largest female sport in Ireland, with now over 100,000 participants in over 980 clubs in Ireland and overseas. Last year’s All-Ireland final between Galway and Dublin was watched by an average viewing figure of 207,000 viewers on TG4 - 26% of the available audience that day. Moreover, according to TG4, an incredible 490,000 people tuned in at various stages during the two finals.

In 2005 there are 17 teams competing at senior level showing the strength in depth around the country. Last year Galway won their first Brendan Martin Cup, beating John O’Leary’s Dublin in a thrilling final. Dublin will be one of the favourites this year, after losing both the 2003 and 2004 finals.

Other front-runners this year include the Suzuki National League winners Cork, 2003 Champions Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Waterford and up and coming Donegal, who have really impressed so far this season. The Junior Championship is the gateway to the Senior ranks, with Sligo, Tipperary and Armagh three of the main favourites for this year’s Junior Championship.

The President of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Ms Geraldine Giles, claimed that this year’s Championship will be the most open yet. Ms Giles is extremely proud of how the Association has grown over the last number of years and is looking for continued growth. “This year’s Senior Championship looks to be extremely competitive again, with any one team from around 10 counties looking like potential winners at this stage. At Junior level, there are several emerging teams battling to gain coveted senior status.”

“The challenge now for the Association is to keep growing and cater for the huge interest all over the country. We estimate we could have up to 150,000 players by 2008 and this would be phenomenal”, she concluded.

TG4 Ceannasaí, Pól Ó Gallchóir said he was looking forward to the coming season of Ladies Football. “This is our fifth year working in close partnership with Cumann Peil Gael na mBan and we are delighted with the development of the channel and the sport.”

This year’s All-Ireland Finals will be played in Páirc an Chrócaigh on Sunday October 2nd and will be broadcast live on TG4. Match coverage will also be streamed live on the TG4 website (www.tg4.ie).