Many GAA fans hoping to tune into this evening's Leinster Hurling Championship clash between Kilkenny and Wexford were left frustrated as a football qualifier between Meath and Tyrone went to extra-time in Páirc Tailteann.
Catching up with the action in Nowlan Park 22 minutes after throw-in, there was further confusion surrounding the fact that the game in Meath was being shown on both Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Main Event.
Are sky really not showing the hurling?
— Malachy Clerkin (@MalachyClerkin) June 9, 2018
Sky will have to explain this. Finish the narrative (football) but the hurling had been advertised. Fine start by Wexford by the way. #GAA
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) June 9, 2018
The broadcaster has this evening issued a statement, outlining why the situation developed as it did.
Releasing it via their Twitter account, Sky Sports apologised to their "viewers who were understandably frustrated by missing the first 22 minutes of the Kilkenny vs Wexford game this evening on Sky Sports Arena."
Sky thus proceeded to explain the reason why the same game was being shown on two channels whilst the Kilkenny and Wexford game played out:
Our channel Sky Sports Main Event is not a second channel. Sky Sports Main Event is set up to mirror what we show on our other sports channels and today we chose to showcase the GAA matches on Sky Sports Main Event.
Once a game has commenced broadcast, it is the policy of Sky Sports to stay with that game until it has concluded.
Apologising once again for the confusion, the broadcaster did vow to do all they could to avoid such frustrations in the future.
— Sky Sports GAA (@SkySportsGAA) June 9, 2018
