The Ladies Gaelic Football Association has agreed with TG4 a new three-year deal for television coverage of their games.
The announcement coincided with yesterday's launch of the All-Ireland ladies senior and junior football championships by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, at Croke Park.
Despite heavy rain, last year's All-Ireland senior final between Mayo and Dublin attracted almost 40,000 to Croke Park and was watched by a record, for TG4, 175,000 viewers as the Connacht champions stuttered to a narrow victory.
Mayo are going for three-in-a-row this year while in the junior championship Kildare, defeated finalists in 2003 to Donegal, will be expected to go one better this time.
"While realistically eight counties may to be in contention, it would be difficult to bet against Mayo," said association president Geraldine Giles.
"However, Galway are the in-form team, while the progression of the Cork ladies cannot be overlooked."
The final is scheduled for October 3rd and will be shown live on TG4, as will a number of other games, while a highlights programme will be aired on Tuesday nights.
Meanwhile, Waterford hurler Ken McGrath and Westmeath footballer Dessie Dolan were recognised for their standout contributions on the field last month when they were presented with the Vodafone player of the month awards for June in Dublin's Westin Hotel yesterday.
McGrath claimed his prize in the face of excellent performances over the the relevant period from from the likes of team-mate Dan Shanahan and Tipperary's Eoin Kelly.
McGrath was reinvented as a centre back this year by manager Justin McCarthy and has been outstanding in Waterford's run to a second Munster title in three years.
Dolan has been a key component in Westmeath's march to the Leinster football final. In particular, his performance in their historic victory over Dublin earned him the prize.
Speaking at the event GAA president Seán Kelly said; "The standards already set by Ken and Dessie this summer will not be easily matched. Their counties are enjoying wonderful success and have a great deal to look forward to in the coming months."
Kelly also spoke about the need to liaise with the Garda regarding traffic congestion, which has hindered several qualifier matches in provincial towns. Saturday's hurling encounter between Cork and Tipperary in Killarney was delayed by 15 minutes.
"There is certainly an issue there that needs to be discussed with the Garda because I've found from speaking to people travelling to matches that they travel anything up to 50 miles from the venue and a Garda presence would only be within the region of the town itself.
"We need to look at some kind of strategy of traffic management from all the approaching towns so traffic can flow more freely for the couple of hours prior to the match."
