RTÉ have no plans to review their practice of booking panellists from competing counties in their GAA coverage.
Henry Shefflin and Ciaran Whelan faced criticism for their defence of Richie Hogan and Jonny Cooper on The Sunday Game Live following their dismissals in the first halves of the All-Ireland senior hurling and football finals.
Both men maintained their fellow county men were harshly treated by officials, Hogan being shown a straight red card when he fouled Cathal Barrett and this past Sunday Cooper issued with a second yellow card after a third infringement against David Clifford.
Shefflin and Whelan made their comments at half-time, a matter of minutes after Hogan and Cooper were ordered off the field and on Monday former Dublin midfielder Whelan rowed back from his original view.
“When you look back on it and look at the replays, as Cooper is going down he does pull Clifford down with him so it’s hard to argue with (David) Gough’s decision,” he said.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, RTÉ’s Head of Sport Declan McBennett said nothing would change in how the national broadcaster form their panels:
“There is no policy as regards how we choose our analysts whether their own county is involved or otherwise and that won’t change; that will continue to be the case.
“We will pick the best analysts for the game regardless of whether their county is involved or not.” McBennett said no decision has been made as to who will be involved in their coverage of Saturday week’s replay.
“We have to work out how many panels we need and then work on that and decide whether we’re going with the same panels.
“That will all be finalised in the next three or four days. I’m getting plenty of views about it but no decisions have been made.”
The 6pm throw-in for the replay was confirmed by the GAA on the basis of consultation with RTÉ who already had a busy live TV sports schedule with the coverage of the Irish Champions weekend in Leopardstown and the semi-finals of the Irish Greyhound Derby taking place in Shelbourne Park.
On Monday, it was confirmed the horse-racing times had been brought forward to accommodate the replay.
McBennett added: “For all rescheduling we consult with Croke Park in the hope is there isn’t a replay but we have to plan for that kind of scenario.
By John Fogarty GAA Correspondent - Irish Examiner
