Kerry delegates have expressed their opposition to the GAA's new Sky Sports deal.

The decision to grant the subscription channel exclusive broadcasting rights to 14 championship games per season over the next three years has not gone down well in Ballinskellig or Kilcummin.

Speaking at the County Convention meeting in the Kingdom last night, an exasperated Ballinskellig delegate Willie Goggin said:

"Now some people are aware of Sky and have it, but back where I come from, the only sky we have is the sky over our heads.

"It's a crazy decision because the first thing they should have done was to consult the County Boards and work from the bottom up, not the top down.

"Old people will be badly affected and what happens if it's Kerry and Dublin, in the All-Ireland quarter-final and it's only on Sky? It's then the fun will start."

Dermot Moynihan from Kilcummin added: "There was no prior discussion on it, it was decided on by Croke Park without consultation with its stakeholders - which to me are its clubs.

"Personally I think that there should have been a motion at Congress, the same as when Croke Park was opened for commercial reasons to other sports , and members got to have their say.

"We are forgetting about the grassroots, the people who put out the flags, who line the pitches and keep the clubs going, without getting a single cent. We are now telling them that they will have to go to their local pub if they want to see some games.

"We spent years trying to rid the Association of drinks sponsorship and what are we doing now? We are driving the young and old back into the pubs again to see our games." Tweet

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