SPORTS WEEKLY - 15
A weekly sports programme featuring a wide range of Irish Sports events and sports news.
Setanta Sports Ireland
Monday 16th May @ 7.00pm
Saturday 21st May @ 5.15pm
Sunday 22nd May @ 10.10pm
Monday 23rd May @ 4.50pm
Times subject to change - check Setanta Sports Ireland TV schedule at www.setanta.com
Chorus Sports Channel
Wednes
day 18th May @ 8.30pmWednesday 18th May @ 10.30pm
Thursday 19th May @ 7.30pm
Thursday 19th May @ 9.30pm
Friday 20th May @ 6.30pm
On SPORTS WEEKLY this week:-
Kickboxing
We are in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan for the Irish Kickboxing Championships. TV Presenter Sallie McArdle talks to Roy Baker from Kickboxing Association of Ireland about the sport and we hear from Robert McMenamey on his hopes for the year ahead – and Christina McMahon reflects on his kickboxing achievements.
Hockey
Cork Harlequins went into the Men’s European Cup-Winners Trophy 2005 in Austria on a high, off the back of their 4-2 Munster Senior Cup Final victory over Catholic Institute. With Hermes representing Ireland in the European Champions Trophy staged at Three Rock Rovers, a chance for Quins to fly the flag in the B division of European hockey’s equivalent of the UEFA Cup. The eight qualifying teams divided into two groups of four, with the Leesiders facing opposition in the group stage from Scotland, Gibraltar and Switzerland.
GAA Hurling "The Stuff of Legend"
The 2005 Guinness All-Ireland Hurling Championship 2005 was launched at Croke Park. In attendance were many of the captains of this year's competing teams, President of the GAA, Mr. Sean Kelly and other GAA officials. The new format for this year's Championship was welcomed, with broad consensus that the expanded Championship will lead to a stronger base for hurling throughout the country, which in turn will yield more competitive games in the future.
GTV / Noel Keating Associates Production
If you have an event you would like to see featured in our TV sports series or want OB Sports coverage of an event recorded contact us on our Sports Line
Noel Keating 087-2211604, nkeating@indigo.ie
Leslie Graham: 086-8115873, info@gtvsport.com
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 14
MOTORSPORT
Red Bull High King of Karting
After a month of qualifying and three provincial finals, we’re very close to learning who will be the first ever Red Bull High King of Karting. This throne though could be one well worth filling – it’s a possible seat in the Red Bull Junior Racing Team. Throughout the month of March, every karter in the country had a chance to qualify for this national final, by recording the fastest time at their local track. The field was eventually whittled down to 16. Six of the final line-up hail from Ulster, five from Leinster, and five more from Munster, and sporting prowess really does run in the family. Among those who got through to this stage, 14-year-old Isaac Lyons, brother of current Formula Nippon champion Richard… another in the shake up is 16-year-old Robert Cregan, son of Toyota F1 chief Richard… Richard Cregan. Also competing, Kevin O’Hara, whose brother John may have been pipped for the Asian Formula Three title, but still earned the mantle of Irish International Racing Driver of the Year for 2004.The national finalists are put through their paces at a Mondello Park assessment day in Mondello’s Formula SR single seaters, under the close tutelage of F1 coach, David Kennedy….. An arduous campaign, something that these young drivers - all between the ages of 13 and 17 - would never have faced before. With the assessment over, the drivers now face a time trial in Rotex-powered karts at Athboy Racing Circuit on May 28th. The first Red Bull High King of Karting will be flown to an intensive, day-long test for the Red Bull Junior Racing Team at a prestigious European racetrack.
TENNIS
Danone Junior Irish Masters
The cream of Ireland’s young up-and-coming tennis talent converges in Malahide for the Danone Junior Irish Masters. It’s an opportunity to see the potential stars of the future, and anybody who’s anybody in Irish tennis has played here. There were eight national titles decided in Malahide – four boys, four girls.
SAILING
City Jet sets Round Ireland speed record
Crossing the finish line at the Kish at 0414 on Fri 6th May 2005, skipper Jean Philippe Chomette and his 7 man crew brought the 60-footer home in a time of 57 hours, 41 minutes taking a full 17 hours 46 minutes off the previous monohull record, set in 2002.
GOLF
Nissan Irish Open Preview
It’s that time of the year again when that famous Irish golfing statistic gets plenty of exposure – is this finally the year one of the game’s most unusual barren spells gets cast aside for once and all. Despite the amazing talent of Ireland’s current generation of golfing superstars, no Irish player has won the Nissan Irish Open since John O’Leary in 1976. Despite the lack of Irish success in this country’s leg of the European Tour, interest in the Irish Open remains as high as ever. This year it’s at the Carton House course near Maynooth from May 19th to 22nd, and Irish Independent golf editor Liam Kelly can’t wait….
GAELIC GAMES
Cork v Waterford Preview
It’s one of gaelic games’ greatest rivalries, but never before has a Cork against Waterford Munster Hurling clash had one side come into the game as All-Ireland champions, and the other as provincial kingpins. Deise All-Star Ken McGrath’s winning the race for fitness – and can’t wait…
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín set high standards last year, walking away with his second All-Star and the Vodafone and Texaco Hurler of the Year Awards. But a Cork win over Waterford in Thurles would probably mean more…
SAILING
Round Ireland single-handed record attempt
It’s one of Irish sports most appealing records – but it’s one of the most dangerous to set. Dave Parker is the latest sailor to try and break the Round Ireland single-handed speed record for a monohull. The 22-year-old Dubliner from Shankill set off into the unknown from Kish Lighthouse on the May Bank Holiday Monday, sailing the Berret 30-foot half-tonner Blue Berret Pi. Parker’s target was set by Peter Keig in October 2001 - 7 days 10 hours 24 minutes and 27 seconds the record, with an average speed for the entire journey of 3.96 knots. Dave Parker learned the ropes at Bray Sailing Club, and this record attempt is a prelude to his mini trans-Atlantic campaign for 2007.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 13
Paul Rowan goes for a hat-trick of wins in the Omagh Half Marathon – over 800 athletes are trying to stop him
Big-time hockey comes to Cork – we hear about the upcoming Club Championship Finals and the Tri-Nations
Rowing action from the Erne Head of the River
And we speak to some of gaelic games’ biggest names as they sign up to wear adidas boots for the Championship
- Matty Forde ahead of Wexford’s first Allianz Football
League Final since 1946
- JJ Delaney speaks on Kilkenny’s Hurling League chances
- Last year’s Hurler of the Year Sean Og Ó hAilpín, he’s
getting ready for another Championship tilt with Cork
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But they’ve Waterford in the way, Ken McGrath gives us his latest injury update- And Paul Galvin on Kerry’s bid to retain Sam.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 11
GTV cameras were in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil following the Irish team
300 athletes each from 35 countries including a team from Ireland battled it out in 35ºC heat and humidity in the first ever Red Bull Giants of Rio event. A team competition that consists of four disciplines: swimming in the open sea, mountain biking through the city and along the jungle tracks, hang gliding over the city and running along the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.
In the event European Short Course silver medalist Andrew Bree from Co. Down, competing in his first ever ocean swim, battled Copacabana’s strong currents for 4km’s finishing in a respectable time of 63.48 minutes. Australia’s Ky Hurst, current world Ironman champion, won the swimming leg in 45.12 minutes. South African Ryk Neethling, one of the relay swimmers who helped put a stop to the US supremacy in the Olympic 4x100m relay in Athens in 2004, came 7th in the swimming discipline with a time of 47.01 minutes.
Bree then handed over to Irish Olympian Tarja Owens from Co. Wicklow, who was one of only two females tackling the 37‑kilometer stretch through the city-jungle, past the Jesus statue and then onwards along the forests of Rio de Janeiro. Owens completed the challenging route, 53 minutes behind the leading team. in a field of the world’s top 20 male MTBikers including current World champion and Olympic gold medalist Julien Absalon of France.
At the top of Pedra Bonita mountain overlooking Ipanema Beach, Owens handed over to the Irish Hang Gliding Class 1 champion Geoff McMahon from Ennis. Cross winds and a lack of thermals meant is was not possible to circle the Christ Statue, McMahon opting instead for the safer 10 kilometre flight along the south of the city before landing on Leblon Beach to hand over to Irish Olympic rower Gearoid Towey for the final and most grueling discipline, a 20km sand run. 85 minutes behind the leading team, the Fermoy man battled hard to make up ‘ground’ through the loose sand for 4km’s before hitting the hard asphalt surface to go 7km’s around the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake. Towey, who has competed in triathlons in the past, hit the sand once more for the final 9km’s sweeping past seven athletes along from Leblon to Copacabana Beach where the whole thing began.
And so, the inaguaral hosting of the Red Bull Giants of Rio came to an end with the Australian team capturing top spot with a time of 4:26:41 hrs with less then a minute between Brazil in 2nd place and Austria in 3rd place. The Irish Team completed one of the most grueling challenges of their careers in the top half of the amateur field with a time of 6:13.50 hrs.
Irish Team
Olympic rower Gearoid Towey (sand running)
Olympian Tarja Owens (mountain biking) www.tarjaowens.com
Irish swimmer Andrew Bree (beach break swimming)
2004 Irish Hang Gliding champion Geoff McMahon
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 7
A weekly sports programme featuring a wide range of Irish Sports events and sports news.
8.00pm Monday 21st March
Times subject to change - check Setanta Sports Ireland TV schedule at www.setanta.com
Motorsport - Red Bull High King of Karting
Do you have a dream of driving in Formula 1 ? Are you aged between 13 and 17 ? then you might be interested in the inaugural Red Bull High King of Karting. The competition It’s designed to find and test the very best of young Irish motor-racing talent to launch a competitive career. But be quick – you only have until Thursday 31st March 2005 to enter. The provincial finals will take place during the month of April. The top four karters from each of the provincial finals will qualify for the National Final. The qualifiers for the National Final will take part in an assessment day at Mondello Park in late April. Each will be put through their paces in a single-seat race car, under the expert eye of a Formula 1 coach and the Red Bull judging panel. Each will then go on to compete in the Red Bull High King of Karting Final in early May, to be held in the grounds of Malahide Castle, Dublin. The combination of this assessment and the race results will unearth the Red Bull High King of Karting for 2005. The event has the backing of Junior Monte Carlo winner Kris Meeke: The eventual Karting High King will be flown to Europe, with the opportunity to trial for the Red Bull Junior Racing Team and follow in the footsteps of current F1 driver and former Red Bull Junior Team member, Christian Klien.
Soccer - Launch of the eircom League season
Ireland soccer manager Brian Kerr was the figurehead with the responsibility of helping launch the new eircom League season, a task he has performed since getting the Irish job three years ago. This season, there are 30 live league games on TV – a third of them on Setanta Sports. Shelbourne in the Champions League and Cork City in the Intertoto Cup last year both showed that the move to summer soccer is already having a positive effect. This season’s prize fund is a record four hundred and forty thousand Euro, with the champions bagging one hundred thousand euro. With four of the last six titles to their name, Shelbourne are understandably hot favourites. SPORT WEEKLY talks to:-
- OllieByrne, Chief Executive, Shelbourne FC
- Alan Matthews, Manager, Longford Town
- Gareth Farrelly, Manager, Bohemians FC
- Kevin Hunt, Captain, Bohemians
- Roddy Collins, Manager, Shamrock Rovers FC
- Alan Reynolds, Manager, Waterford United FC
GAA - AIB Provincial Player Awards 2004
We speak to the provincial club hurlers and footballers of the year and we hear from Sean Kelly, President, GAA on the AIB Club Finals and Rule 42 regarding the use of Croke Park for other sports.
Hurling
- Jim Connolly, O’Donovan Rossa, Ulster
- Ken McGrath Mount Sion, Munster
- Joe Rabbitte, Athenry, Connacht
- Eoin Larkin, James Stephens, Leinster
Football
- Johnny Daly, Kilmurry Ibrickane, Munster
- John Murtagh, Crossmaglen Rangers, Ulster
Golf - Ryder Cup 2006 Press Briefing
Next year’s Ryder Cup at the K Club will be a sell-out. There’s already no doubt of that 18 months ahead of the renewal of trans-Atlantic golfing hostilities. It’s a major task for the K Club to match the gargantuan work put in by the organizing team at Oakland Hills Country Club last year, but with the Europe team aiming to impress on the course, it’s up to Richard Hills, European Ryder Cup Director and company to do the same off the course. Although tickets for the K Club clash don’t go on sale until later this year, there have already been over 50,000 requests for tickets so far – and the day-by-day capacity’s only 40,000. In fact, between the three days of competition and practice, the overall attendance for next year’s Ryder Cup will be 240,000. There’s a full report on the April 2005 edition of the GOLF IRELAND tv show on Setanta Sports.
Land Rover Outdoor Adventure Show
In the SPORTS WEEKLY second visit to the Land Rover Irish Outdoor Adventure Show at the RDS.
- we hear from Grania Willis, who wants to go up the world’s highest mountain the hard way, on the North Face.
- There’s major Irish interest in November’s Atlantic Rowing Challenge – last weeks SPORTS WEEKLY tv programme we met Gearoid Towey and Ciaran Lewis. Also
among the home competitors are Limerick’s Paul Gleeson and his Canadian chum Victoria Holmes. They have very little rowing experience between them – but that won’t stop this pair, two more bold adventurers aim to fly the flag for Ireland in the Atlantic Rowing Challenge 2005..
- Pat Falvey is one of Ireland’s foremost adventurers. He’s already been up Everest in the past twelve months, and is now aiming for new heights.
- Dr Claire O’Leary is part of the Falvey team. She’s already made history by being the first Irishwoman up Everest, we hear about her plans for the year ahead.
- There’s never been an event like Land Rover Irish Outdoor Adventure Show before in Ireland. For many of the exhibitors, it’s about time…we hear from Con Moriart and from cycleways.com Shane Connaghton.
- Plenty to see, and plenty to do as well at the show. The Climbing Wall is one of many areas where visitors can get stuck in as Cathy Fitzpatrick explains.
- Can you think of anything much more extreme than kayaking down the Alps? John Hynes is an expert and the man behind H2O Extreme.
- We’ve met Mark Pollock on the SPORT MONTHLY & SPORTS WEEKLY tv programme quite a few times before. His sporting CV is remarkably varied, and is probably best known for having run in the 2004 Red Moon North Pole Marathon. Never a man to let his blindness get in the way, he’s now concentrating with canoest Jim Morrissey on the 125-mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon 2005.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 6
7.30pm Monday 14th March
10.00pm Monday 14th March
11.25pm Tuesday 15th March
11.30pm Wednesday 16th March
10
.30pm Friday 18th March
H
ockey - Leinster Senior Girls Cup FinalHistory was going to be made one way or the other in this Leinster Senior Girls Cup Final at Grange Road Alexandra College of Milltown, hadn’t won this competition since 1978. Opponents The High School from Rathgar, reached the final five years ago, but missed out on what would have been their first ever Leinster title.
Alexandra, with Irish cricket coach Peter Johnson in charge, went ahead on 10 minutes in a six goal triller
GAA - Clan na Gael opening
I
may be halfway through the Allianz Football League, but that still didn’t stop the senior football teams of Dublin and Monaghan meeting in a challenge match to mark the official opening of the new grounds for Clan na Gael Fontenoy GAA Club. Strategically, the facilities are importantly-placed, as the Ringsend men are the only GAA club inside Dublin 4. The new facilities at Sean Moore Park were officially opened by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern The first match at the new venue generated a large and interested crowd.
Table Tennis - Belfast Exhibition
Irish number one table-tennis player and Irish national coach Colm Slevin take on top Swede Peter Karlsson at the Lough Moss Leisure Centre in Belfast. Slevin does this for a living – he’s a professional in Germany. The challenge match is meant as a mouth-waterer for table-tennis fans ahead of the National Championships in Clontarf. Karlsson has been a regular world champion down the years, as well as lifting the European singles title in 2000 – and he won this match too. Further exhibitions are planned for later this year, involving more big names from Sweden.
Sailing - Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year Awards
Eamon Crosbie’s achievements in winning the BMW Round Ireland Yacht Race has earned him the accolade of Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year. The 52-year-old managed to steer the second-smallest boat in a 50-strong fleet to the front for victory. His first Round Ireland was in 1975, and he’s been using his years of experience wisely. Crosbie skippered the Ker 32 Calyx Voice & Data, crewed by his sons David and Alan, with dinghy sailors Stefan Hyde, Johnny Coat, Fergus Kelly and Ross Nolan, with navigation from a former Sailor of the Month, Ian Moore of Carrickfergus. The 12 Sailors of the Month for 2004 were invited to the Awards at the Dublin Boat ShowJohn Twomey from Kinsale was selected as one of those for his magnificent displays in the build-up to his crew’s Paralympics campaign.
Land Rover Outdoor Adventure Show
The RDS Simmonscourt is the venue for Ireland’s first Outdoor Adventure Show. It’s a wide-ranging weekend of displays and activities, featuring canoeing, climbing, bouldering, diving, bike stunts, mountain boarding, archery, bungee-jumping and scouting among many many others. It’s the first time such an ambitious show has been tried in Ireland, after proving a big hit in the UK and Canada.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 5
Athletics
Highlights of the Whirlpool National Cross-Country Championships
Boxing
The Irish High Performance Boxers in advance of the National Sen1or Boxing Championships
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SPORTS WEEKLY -
47.30pm Monday 28th February
10.30pm Monday 28th February
7.30pm Friday 4th March
1.00pm Saturday 5th March
4.55pm Saturday 5th March
A1 Grand Prix, we’re taking an in-depth look at motor-racing’s new kids on the block. A1 are looking to be number 1 from this September…. Each car is manufactured to the same specifications by racing car construction giants Lola International, whose chairman Martin Birrane owns Mondello Park. We get reaction from inside and outside the A1 Grand Prix organisation, we hear about the potential Irish involvement with the new series, reaction from Motorsport Ireland, and we speak to Ralph Firman, the ex-Jordan driver who’s been assisting A1 from inside the cockpit.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 3
5:35pm Monday 21st February
10:40pm Monday 21st February
5:00pm Friday 25th February
10.15am Saturday 26th February
7.15pm Saturday 26th February
9.55am Sunday 27th February
Hockey - Men’s Leinster League Division One, Pembroke Wanderers v Glenanne
Goal highlights of a crucial top of the table clash at Serpentine Avenue, with both defending champions Pembroke Wanderers and visitors Glenanne locked at the summit on 33 points going into this game.
Hockey - Women’s Leinster League Division Five, Pembroke Wanderers v Genesis
A brief look at the Leinster Division Five pairing of Pembroke fifths and Genesis thirds from UCD.
Fencing - East of Ireland Open
Fencing in Ireland may still be largely centred around Dublin, but the East of Ireland Open Championship hosted by UCD suggests the sport is finally making inroads across the country. 16 nations represented in all, with universities from all four provinces sending strong teams.
Formula One - Team Sauber
In the build up to the Formula One season SPORTS WEEKLY has coverage of the Sauber Team testing at the Valencia Track.
Motorsport Ireland
For Irish motorsport, the turn of the year always proves to be relatively quiet competition wise. But if you thought all motoring activities went into hibernation, you’d be wrong. That's because the start of the year always proves to be the busiest at the offices of the organisation that regulates competitive motorsport in this country, Motorsport Ireland, Alex Sinclair explains.
Artic Running John O'Regan
Fresh from partnering Mark Pollack in last year's North Pole Marathon, another extreme event awaits John O'Regan the man who has already run marathons in Europe, North America, and Africa, where O'Regan tackled, and finished, the 150-mile Marathon des Sables in the Sahara.
He's part of a four-strong Irish team heading to Alaska to compete in the Yukon Arctic Ultra Race, from Whitehorse across the Canadian border to Braeburn.
Skateboarding
We're seeing more skateboarding on the streets these days. Action from the Streets of Dublin.
Setanta Sports Ireland Official Launch
A glamour launch for Setanta Sports Channel at a Dublin hotel, with major figures from the world of Irish sport attending.
Roy Keane, Shades 2005 Campaign
In our main feature – postponed retirements, management prospects, charity and yoga – just a normal day in the life of Roy Keane who was in Dublin to launch the Shades 2005 Campaign for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. We hear Roy’s direct face-to-face thoughts, and have comprehensive coverage of the general press in which the Manchester United captain was able to expand his thoughts on life:-
- including just how his long-term ailments arr...
- nothing like a bit of yoga...
- Keane has enjoyed some major midfield battles of late – Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard would testify to that...
- There's no doubting Keane's last journey to play in a World Cup made good theatre, but he doesn't want to close the book just there...
- time ticks on and waits for no man...
- there's a definite career switch coming in the next few years for the Mayfield man...
- but there's still some mileage on the clock for Roy Keane – does he fancy a move to Glasgow ?
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 2
10.30am Saturday 12th February (Setanta Sports)
7.10pm Saturday 12th February (Setanta Sports)
8.10am Sunday 13th February (Setanta Sports)
4.30pm Sunday 13th February (Setanta Sports)
6.30pm Monday 14th February (Setanta Sports)
Allianz Ireland sponsorship of Golfer Paul McGinley
Ryder Cup star Paul McGinley has renewed his sponsorship deal with Allianz Ireland and joins to talk about a new year with new goals. He's aiming to qualify for the World Matchplay in California later this month.
Formula One Motor Racing
In the build up to the Formula One season were at Barcelona's Circuit da Catalunya to speak to Juan Pablo Montoya and Ron Denis as McLaren plot their strategy for the new Formula One season.
Setanta Sports will broadcast live coverage of each of the 2005 F1 races starting with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday 6th March 2005. Setanta Sports comprehensive coverage of F1 will include live coverage of every race throughout the season along with Friday practice, Saturday practice, qualifying and Sunday's Super-Qualifying. The races will also be repeated during the week.
Horse Racing, Moyglare Dinner
Another exciting year's already underway in Irish Racing. We get the impressions of the Turf Club's senior steward Pierce Molony at the Moyglare Dinner, and hear from a man with 700 winners to his name, Pat Shanahan.
Rugby Leagues
In our main feature were at Stradbrook, as a select side from the outgoing rugby league world champions Bradford Bulls take on up-and-coming students side London Skolars. We have match highlights and feature the Irish trialists involved in the prestige friendly.
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SPORTS WEEKLY - 1
- Irish Golf Writers Awards
- Motorsport Ireland Awards
- Great BUPA Ireland Run 2005
- Community Games
- European Golf Course of the Year
- Golfers to benefit from new Golf Course Bird Sanctuary
- David Lloyd National Indoor Tennis Championships
- Formula One Motor Racing
Programme Broadcast Details:-
10.45am Saturday 5th February (Setanta Sports)
11.35pm Saturday 5th February (Setanta Sports)
11.00pm Sunday 6th February (Setanta Sports)
11.00pm Monday 7th February (Setanta Sports)
11.00pm Tuesday 8th February (Setanta Sports)
6.30pm Thursday 10th February (Setanta Sports)
8.30pm Friday 11th February (Setanta Sports)
Golf Professional of the Year Awards
In recognition of their unique contribution to Europe's record win in the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills last September, Ireland's three players on the team – Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke - jointly won the 'Golf Professional of the Year' award for 2004 from the Irish Golf Writers' Association. SPORTS WEEKLY talks to Padraigh Harrington about his plans for the golf season ahead. We also hear from Brian McElhinney, from North-West Golf Club, collected the 'Men's Amateur Player of the Year' for 2004 following his success in the Irish close championship. Claire Coughlan - who twice defeated the American golfing phenomenon Michelle Wie in the Curtis Cup at Formby in June - collected the 'Women's Amateur of the Year' award. It is the third time that Coughlan, a member of Cork Golf Club, has won, following on from her successes in 1999 and 2003. The award for 'Distinguished Services' to golf was awarded to Cecil Whelan, a founding member of the Links Golfing Society which has raised over 13 million euro for various charities since its inception in 1966.
Motorsport Ireland Awards
Irish motorsport’s leading lights of 2004 have been honoured at Motorsport Ireland’s Alfa Romeo-sponsored Awards for Excellence in Motorsport. The seven awards honour the outstanding achievements in rallying, motor racing and karting both at home and abroad.
Great BUPA Ireland Run 2005
Athletics event launch. If you like your running, Saturday, April 9th is a date to put in your diary. The third Great BUPA Ireland Run takes place in the Phoenix Park on the second Saturday of the month. Already, over a thousand UK athletes have committed to the race, with this year’s field expected to top 5-thousand. Among those competing will be twice men’s champion Craig Mottram, 2003 women’s champion Sonia O’Sullivan, top Irish runners Mark Christie and Jolene Byrne, and still mulling over a decision whether to return to this race is world cross-country champion Benita Johnson. Charity will be a winner too on the day – the Marie Keating Foundation will have various stars from Fair City supporting their cause, and 2004 You’re A Star winner Chris Doran heads up the fundraising drive for the National Children’s Hospital in Crumlin.
Community Games
The Community Games organisation provides opportunities for children and young people aged between 6 and 16 to grow and develop in a positive and healthy way. SPORT WEEKLY cameras were at the Annual General Meeting in Carlow to meet the organisation’s administrators and volunteers as they plan for the future.
European Golf Course of the Year
Druids Glen Golf Resort and the K Club in Kildare were shortlisted, along with Scottish clubs Gleneagles and Turnberry, Celtic Manor in Wales, Montecastillo in Spain and Penna Longa in Portugal for the title of European Golf Resort of the Year. SPORTS WEEKLY has coverage from Estorial in Portugal where Ex-Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance presents the trophy.
Golfers to benefit from new Golf Course Bird Sanctuary
We visit a golf course in County Wicklow developing a bird sanctuary which has the stamp of approval of Environment Minister Dick Roche. The idea is the brainchild of conservationist Derek Mulrooney, who approached course management about his idea to develop the golfer’s enjoyment of a round of golf.
David Lloyd National Indoor Tennis Championships
Riverview in south Dublin is the venue for the David Lloyd National Indoor Tennis Championships. In the ladies singles final, Ireland’s Yvonne Doyle goes for a sixth National indoor title, facing the challenge of Welsh number two seed Rebecca Llewellyn. And in the men’s singles final, it’s Eoin Heavey flying the flag for Ireland as he faces England’s Matthew Smith.
Formula One Motor Racing
Setanta Sports will broadcast live coverage of each of the 2005 F1 races starting with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday 6th March 2005. Setanta Sports comprehensive coverage of F1 will include live coverage of every race throughout the season along with Friday practice, Saturday practice, qualifying and Sunday's Super-Qualifying. The races will also be repeated during the week. In the build up to the Formula One season SPORTS WEEKLY has coverage of the B.A.R. Team launching their car at Barcelona's Circuit.
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If you have a sports event you would like included in the SPORTS WEEKLY programme please contact Leslie Graham, ( Mobile Tel, 086 8115873 ) or Noel Keating ( Mobile Tel, 087 2211604 )
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Report from Irish Independent by Samantha McCaughren www.unison.ie Thursday 20 January
New Setanta slot gears up to kick Irish sports in from the TV wilderness
SETANTA Sports will broadcast a new magazine programme - Sports Weekly, featuring Irish sport - every Monday night when the new channel starts full-time broadcasting next month. The commissioning of the programme, which will focus on so-called minority sports, is an important step in the development of the station, and more programme commissions are likely to follow.
According to station chief executive Niall Cogley, interest in advertising on the fledgling station has already outstripped expectations. Sponsorship opportunities will also be sought by the station.
"We're a business and we have to make sure what we do is viable," he said. "We've been very positively received by agencies who were surprisingly quick to come on board despite the lack of hard evidence on audience numbers, and direct sales have also been positive."
He said that direct and local advertisers who might normally not consider television would be actively encouraged to advertise on the station and the economic attraction of television would be hammered home.
Data on viewers is being collected from this month onwards, with initial figures expected to be modest.
The new programme should boost the station which, in association with GTV/Noel Keating Associates, will be sending outside broadcast units to many key events in Ireland. Mr Cogley said that the programme is further evidence of Setanta Sports' commitment to sport on the home front.
"There isn't really such a thing as minority sports except in television," he said, adding that large numbers of people were involved in many "minority sports".
Mr Cogley said that positive reactions to various Irish sporting events on RTE and TG4 were "signs for us that it has the potential to be commercially successful". It is hoped that other new programming opportunities will follow, and Mr Cogley feels there is considerable potential in covering women's sports.
Sports Weekly aims to feature a wide range of sports, including athletics, GAA, badminton, rugby, boxing, hockey, motorcycling, tennis, volleyball and other sports that, for some time, "have been in the TV wilderness".
Mr Cogley said: "Our Monday night schedule is building up nicely, with regular Irish motorsport as part of an eclectic mix of sports on offer. Sports Weekly will complement the variety of sports presented every Monday and give exposure to the cream of Ireland's sporting talent."
The station signed a contract with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) last year and, as an Irish-licensed station, will be covered by growing regulations, much of which impact on sport.
In terms of new advertising rules, including the children's codes and other new codes which will be developed later in the year, Mr Cogley said: "We are starting off with our eyes open."
Setanta Sports is available to over 750,000 households on NTL, Sky Digital and Chorus Digital.