Jacqui Hurley has welcomed the massive exposure for the GAA ahead of the All-Ireland finals this month.

Up For the Match returns to our screens on the eve of the All-Ireland Hurling and Football finals over the next two weeks, with Jacqui set to be joined by two new co-hosts in Kerry/Galway man Dáithí Ó Sé, and TV presenter Louise Cantillon — who’s married to former Limerick hurling captain Declan Hannon.

As well as the upcoming matches, the GAA has seen clips from the championship go massively viral—albeit in the context of a different competition: the World Cup.

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Jacqui Hurley has welcomed the massive exposure for the GAA ahead of the All-Ireland finals this month. Pic: Andres Poveda

David Clifford’s penalty against Dublin in the semi-final last week gained over 24 million views on Twitter (X), but, under the conspiracy theory, it was what would happen if Lionel Messi were to get a penalty in the World Cup.

Another clip saw Donald Trump being captured as Tyrone star Owen Mulligan scoring his all-time great goal against Dublin in 2005, under the guise of ‘the one man who can help the US’ advance beyond the last 16.

Speaking about the clips of our national sport going around the world, Jacqui welcomed the new worldwide fans, saying that the GAA as an organisation couldn’t have bought such massive publicity.

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A clip of David Clifford’s penalty against Dublin gained over 24million views online in the context of the World Cup. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

‘I thought it was great, genuinely,’ Jacqui told Extra.ie. ‘I don’t think the GAA can buy that kind of exposure, and David Clifford is a star in the making who could be a global star.

‘If he’d have gone to Australia and taken a professional contract, I’ve absolutely no doubt that he would have been a star in another game, but the fact that he loves GAA and wants to be a part of Kerry is what makes it so special.’

With the allure of the GAA reaching international territory recently — including a new TV deal with the BBC, which will air both finals — Jacqui said that the international appeal is only getting started.

‘The fact that the BBC has been putting in such an effort to show it globally over the last few years has been a really big thing,’ Jacqui said. ‘My sister lives in London, and she would often say, “God, it’s really funny listening to people from other nationalities talking and asking questions about the GAA.”

‘I love that it has gotten so big over the last few years… I was that child living abroad — I lived in Australia for seven years — the All-Ireland final meant a lot to us, and I do think the fact that it’s more readily available for people is going to help.

‘Hopefully it continues to grow the game — those viral moments are definitely helping, and it’s only going to get bigger.’

Up For the Match will take place live from Croke Park on Saturday, July 18, at 8 pm for the hurling final, and once again on Saturday, July 25, at 8 pm ahead of the football final.