RTE LOI coverage

The Louth Derby between Dundalk and Drogheda United will be broadcast live from Oriel Park on RTÉ Television, and as a result has been put back almost 48 hours to Sunday 14 March, with a 4.30pm kick-off. It will be the first time that the Louth Derby has featured live on national TV since August 2005 when the sides met in the FAI Cup Fourth Round, that game coinciding with the opening of the Lilywhites’ artificial surface.

Rovers change
Ian Foster’s new-look side will also be live on RTÉ seven days later when they travel to face Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, a game which has also changed from the original date set, which was Friday 19 March. Instead, Dundalk will make the trip to Dublin on Sunday 21 March, with the match due to kick-off at 3.45pm. Dundalk only featured live once on RTÉ last year, when they hosted Bohemians on the opening day of the season, although it was one of five live TV games for the club. And Dundalk FC Communications Manager Colm Crosson is delighted to see the TV cameras back at Oriel Park.

Showcasing Louth
“We’re delighted that RTÉ have chosen to feature our game against Drogheda United live on TV, particularly at a primetime slot on a Sunday afternoon,” he said. “In the past, the majority of live games have taken place on a Friday night, so we’re delighted that this Sunday kick-off will allow League of Ireland fans from around the country, as well as the wider public, to see the Louth Derby, one of the biggest and most passionate local derbies in the country. It is a game which means an awful lot to the people of the county, and we are sure that that will come across through the passion, colour and atmosphere displayed. We are thrilled that RTÉ have taken this opportunity to showcase the game, which is sure to show off both clubs, the town and county in their best light.”