THE League of Ireland revolution is being televised.
Virgin Media have signed up to show a game a week and LOITV covers the rest — as the league now has the exposure it could only dream of five years ago.
But more eyeballs also demand quality productions, from the camerawork to those behind the microphones on commentary or in front of the lens on punditry duties.
Who among us has never gotten annoyed when a commentator gets a name wrong or is unaware that the left-footed right-winger is not playing out of position?
Or if a pundit makes an outrageous statement without any basis in fact?
Or worse, has nothing to say at all?
Ahead of the 2025 season, SunSport called up a few of those getting ready to work in the upcoming campaign to chat about the preparations that go into every game.
Commentator Con Murphy is a voice heard on many channels but, for League of Ireland fans, he is now the soundtrack of Shamrock Rovers on LOITV.
Being on air for 90-plus minutes means a lot of talking, so he ensures he is never stuck for something to say.
Murphy explained: “Doing the Rovers games, I’d get familiar enough with the Rovers squad but you also have to be as knowledgeable about the opposition.
“I do my own stats and I update them before every game — that’s appearances, goals, penalties scored and missed, reds, yellows, everything.
“Plus, if there are any interesting facts about a player, whether it is who their father played for or if they won international caps for Madagascar, you include it.
“I have my sheets with everything on it because you have to be able to see it quickly. I write everything out by hand and it’s colour-coded.
“I’d also read every preview of games or, for the away team, talk to club press officers or people. Any information you can get may help.”
Then it is about calling the game, when Murphy is joined by a co-commentator.
He continued: “I’ve been very lucky. I worked with Graham Gartland who was brilliant, he would see things that us ordinary plebs wouldn’t see.
“Unfortunately, time commitments meant he had to step away but Barry Murphy started then and he’s been great.
“He prepares so well . . . he is bringing information that I don’t know, especially on the opposition as he does so much research.”
NATURAL CONNECTION
Con Murphy also says that a good rapport between a commentator and co-commentator is important for viewers, with a few unwritten rules on how to work together.
He added: “I always say if the attacking team is the final third, be brief with your analysis. Because you shouldn’t be analysing something over a goal.
“If you watch Sky, you’ll notice Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher do most of their talking when the defenders have the ball.
“Also, when a goal is scored, I ask Barry to give it a beat.
“I’ll explain the goal, mention the score and it allows time for the replay to be lined up and Barry can do his analysis.
“You want it all to sound natural, like we are just chatting. But that just comes from working together and knowing the right moments.”
Former St Pat’s winger Conan Byrne previously hosted a podcast with Con Murphy but has been more often heard as a pundit or co-commentator.
A regular on RTÉ over the past few years when the broadcaster had the rights, he has also done LOITV games.
He reckons the biggest difference between co-commentary and punditry is the time constraints at half-time.
But he believes the key to either is knowing your stuff. Because viewers can spot a bluffer.
He told SunSport: “This is the teacher in me now . . . I usually do four to five hours’ prep at the start of the season, usually at the end of January, where I get information on all the clubs.
“I’d never go in blind to a job, I don’t think it’s right for the listener or the reader that you’re bulls***ting.
“It’s important that you have a good knowledge of what you’re talking about but also that you have an opinion as well.
“That’s how I work, and after that I top it up every week with what’s happened or what I’ve seen, and listen to others’ opinions — pundits, players, fans, everyone.”
SIMILAR AMOUNT
Byrne would also be a regular at games, particularly if he knows he will be on duty covering a team soon. It can see him effectively scouting them as he takes notes.
Ex-Waterford and Shelbourne manager Ian Morris, a regular pundit for Virgin Media, would do similar.
He has found the preparation for television work not all that different from the efforts that went into games when he was coaching.
Morris told SunSport: “As a coach or manager it would be the same, but you look at both teams, how they are performing, how they set up. I’d watch games and take notes.
“On television, you would have your clips beforehand and then at half-time so you’d be watching and asking the people to clip pieces.
“It would be similar to being in a dugout where you might ask someone to clip something to use at half-time.
“But the difference is a coach might use one or two clips as you’re dealing with a whole team and teamtalk. Television would need more clips.
“I would try to take out the exciting moments but if it’s a drab game, you still have to do it so I’d try to tell the story of the game, show people why teams are cancelling each other out or whatever is happening.
“But you have to do it concisely. You cannot waffle.
“The team at Virgin, from the floor manager, producer, the lads cutting the clips, are so professional and you know exactly how long you have.
“You have to get your point across and you’ve got to be able to back it up.
“We’ve all heard people being flippant or saying something generic.
“You want to be able to show what is happening that maybe the person watching on television cannot see, or explain players’ thought processes from your experience.
“It also must tell the story. You could manipulate clips to tell your narrative but it must tell the story of the game.”
STAY IN NEUTRAL
Morris’ demand for objectivity is also echoed by the others, with Con Murphy, well known to be a born-and-bred Shamrock Rovers fan, acutely aware he cannot sound like one in commentary.
He explained: “We have to be objective. I would say that is the case anyway, but especially on LOITV where the opposition’s fans are a huge number of our audience.
“You also have to be as excited about an opposition goal as you are a Rovers goal.
“People have paid to watch, you have to respect them so you, or the co-commentator, cannot be cheering a goal.
“I would almost try to be 51-49 in favour of the opposition. At least I think I am.”
Morris acknowledged that analysing players’ mistakes can put pundits in awkward positions at times but it is also part of the job.
He said: “I’d never hammer anyone, but you have to explain what you see, if a players’ body shape is wrong or it’s a bad decision.
“You’re just being honest and I think everyone knows that.”
But sometimes it can lead to fans getting upset, as happened with Byrne last year when he criticised Derry City’s Patrick McEleney for a dive to win a penalty against Rovers.
Byrne said: “When you’re paid to do something, or doing it voluntarily but asked to give an opinion, I think it’s only right that you’re honest.
“The Patrick McEleney incident . . . I’m not a Rovers fan, far from it.
“But at the same time, when you feel like something has gone against them, it’s your duty to call it out.
“Everyone could see it was a dive. I didn’t make friends in Derry, I certainly wasn’t welcomed back up on the last day of the season. Some of the Derry fans gave me stick.
“But at the same time, if you’re a neutral football fan and you saw what I saw . . . that’s what you have to be as a pundit, completely neutral.
“You mightn’t make friends. You might lose friends. But you’re there to do a job.
“I’ve got calls from managers and players before over what I said.
“But at the same time, they know me and they know it comes from a good place.
“I’m going to be honest, I’ll do my homework. I won’t talk about what I don’t know.”
