Dónal Óg Cusack has accused the GAA of failing to promote hurling by continuing to put games behind a paywall.

It was announced on Monday that the streaming service GAAGO will show 38 Championship games live in 2024, including three of Cork’s four Munster SHC ties. It comes after the pay-per-view service was heavily criticised last summer for having exclusive rights to a number of Munster SHC blockbusters.

"We have said for many years that hurling needs growth, hurling needs oxygen,” Cusack told RTÉ.

"This does nothing for the promotion of hurling. One of the purposes of the GAA is surely to grow the game of hurling. In its duty, as it has acted as a steward over many years, it has failed in that role.

"There are also question marks for RTÉ. As a public service body, surely one of their duties is to promote a cultural asset like hurling. They are failing to do that with this deal also.

"Someone in Croke Park and someone in Montrose... thought it was a good idea to make a small amount of profit next year, or a perceived profit in the future, on the back of hurling and it does nothing for the game.

"The Government should come into this and take a serious look because I believe both institutions are not doing their duty in this case."

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