Lord of the Dance
RTÉ's coverage of the All-Ireland hurling final had over a million viewers
Sport

RTÉ's coverage of the All-Ireland hurling final had over a million viewers

It has been confirmed this week that RTÉ's broadcast coverage of last weekend's All-Ireland hurling classic between Clare and Cork was seen by over a million people.

Clare bested their Munster rivals in this year's final, which some call the "best final ever."

According to RTÉ's website, they claim that an average of 1,037,000 saw The Sunday Game Live on RTÉ2, with another 9,000 watching on RTÉ2+1.

They also claimed that the RTÉ2 audience represented a share of 77% of those watching TV at the time. Television coverage peaked at 1,231,000 as the game reached its climax.

This was a 26.02% increase compared to the 2023 game between Limerick and Kilkenny. That game saw an average audience of 830,000, which at the time was the highest viewership for a hurling final since the 2019 decider between Tipperary and the Cats.

RTÉ head of sport Declan McBennett said, "It is fitting, given the epic nature of yesterday’s clash, that it attracted such a huge audience to witness the skill and commitment on display from both sides.

"The game will live long in the memory of those who witnessed or listened to it, with Tony Kelly’s goal taking its place in the annals of memorable Croke Park moments."

This week will see the All-Ireland football final between Armagh and Galway take place on Sunday. The Sunday Game Live will broadcast at 2.15 on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.