On the eve of this weekend’s All Ireland Hurling Final between Kilkenny and Limerick, Up for the Match is back. Presenters Jacqui Hurley and Des Cahill will be joined by a panel of heroes and legends from the world of hurling on the night, as well as the true stars of the show – a live studio audience filled with 200 of the biggest GAA fans Kilkenny and Limerick has to offer.
The 90-minutes of live GAA chat on RTÉ One will be packed with lively conversation from an All-Star panel, with craic agus ceol from the Women in Harmony Collective including Una Healy, Erica Cody, Fia Moon and Soulé. The group will be joined for their performance by the Irish Youth Training Choir. The show will also feature performances from Ireland’s finest folk and ballad group The Kilkennys, all-female drumming group Pulse, and dance troupe Fusion Fighters, who will come together for a one-off special performance.
Roving reporters Anna Geary and Marty Morrissey will be on hand to capture the excitement, broadcasting live from venues in Kilkenny and Limerick as they bring the Up for the Match experience to fans celebrating in their home counties.
Jacqui Hurley said: “Up for the Match is one of those shows that is uniquely part of our GAA culture. I watched it as a fan for years & have loved being part of it these past few seasons. Getting the chance to celebrate two of the greatest hurling counties is going to be special & we have a great line-up of guests to whet the appetite for a cracker on Sunday!”
Des Cahill added: “I’m really excited to be back on Up for the Match again this year. I’ve been working on this programme for 20 years, and it’s a key part of the GAA diary. I’m looking forward to celebrating two of the best teams in the Championship with Jacqui and 200 fans on Saturday night in our new-look studio.”
Experience the atmosphere, feel the anticipation, and play your part on the eve of the All-Ireland Hurling and Football Finals.
As well as some surprises for the live studio audience, viewers at home will have a chance to win the final two tickets for Sunday’s All-Ireland Hurling Final in Croke Park. In addition to the two premium tickets, the lucky winner will be transported to and from the game, receive an overnight hotel stay in Dublin and get €2000 cash.
Up for the Match will broadcast live on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player at 9:45pm on Saturday 22nd July ahead of the All-Ireland Hurling Final, and at 9:45pm on Saturday 29th July ahead of the All-Ireland Football Final.