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Brian Carney - Sky Sports GAA debut, tactical analysis and winning over Irish viewers

Tonight marks the start of Sky Sports live GAA coverage with Kilkenny taking on Offaly in Nowlan Park.

Brian Carney New Sky Sports presenter Brian Carney. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

BRIAN CARNEY BEGINS life as a GAA presenter today with Sky Sports making their debut in the world of live Gaelic Games coverage.

Kilkenny take on Offaly in Nowlan Park with the new broadcaster beaming the images from the Leinster quarter-final clash.

The former rugby league and rugby union player looks ahead to the key issues before Sky’s high-profile debut.

Adjusting to a new role…

“There’s a nervous excitement about it. It certainly brings back memories. When Nicky English came into the launch, I was like I remember seeing him when I was growing up.

“The last time I was in Ireland for a long period before I moved over to England in ’98, it was Jamesie O’Connor and Clare that were the big story. To get to work with them now, and Peter Canavan as well who you’d hold in high esteem, it’s pretty special.”

Putting himself in the frame…

“It’s all happened pretty quickly. I’ve a very accommodating producer in the rugby league. I’ve a pretty full schedule there with him so I’d to sit down and let him know if he would allow me adjust my schedule. He was very accommodating.”

Following GAA…

“I wouldn’t follow it very closely but I’d have a broad understanding of it. It’s a challenge for me to get up to speed and that excites me. But my job is to get the very best out of Peter and Jamesie. In rugby league, I have a prior knowledge.

“I assume no prior knowledge when going to do football and hurling. It will be researching questions that I believe people want to be asked.”

Jamesie OÕConnor Jamesie O'Connor. Clive O'Donohoe / INPHO Clive O'Donohoe / INPHO / INPHO

Winning over Irish viewers…

“I think you’re always going to get that. I can completely understand that. I’ve got family there in West Cork who are steeped in GAA. They seem to be supportive so I’ve won them over anyway. My nana’s happy. They’re the small battles!

“People get used to something but this is a dedicated sports company. I see in rugby league that we’ve benefited from some of the innovation that Sky have brought from Formula One. We get it in rugby league and I think hurling or football will benefit.”

“You’re going to have a core audience that know the game and you cater for them first and foremost. Even for them you can get too bogged down in your analysis of games. So you’ve got to keep them informed and entertained while being conscious at the same time of a wider audience.

“I think we’ll do that. That’s the job of the experts as well. If they start talking in terminology that even a regular viewer isn’t familiar with, they haven’t done their job.”

General view of Nowlan Park ahead of the game Nowlan Park is the venue for today's game. Tommy Greally / INPHO Tommy Greally / INPHO / INPHO

Enhancing tactical analysis…

“That’s the first thing that came across speaking to Jamesie and Peter. They’re chomping at the bit to do that to get their clips in order. They want to preview the games and have the things they want to talk about.

“We’ll hopefully have the touch screen and we’ll get right into that. They’ll explain to me and to the viewers exactly how they see the game happening. They’re the elite men and the guys with the elite minds, not me. I certainly like listening to an expert answering the tough questions. They’ve said they’re not sugar coaters and I think that’s great.”

The huge interest in the first game…

“Of course I get that. Hopefully they’re going to tune in and talk about what a great show they’ve watched and dominated by the action. The show is essentially about what goes on, on the field. I do understand that there’ll be curiosity factor as well but hopefully people will enjoy it.”

Open Thread: How would you open Sky Sports’ GAA coverage tonight?

Tony Kelly spent 10 hours soloing in front of the cameras for Sky Sports GAA ad

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