http://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/289709

Can't help but feel a pang of sadness on this one.

After the All-Ireland football final in 1999, the Sunday Game showed a montage of clips from the 80's & 90's as the new milennium approached. I remember thinking 'Christ the GAA has been so much part of our lives without us knowing it' as i saw the legendary moments on screen.

Lyster going really is the end of an era. In a way it is like saying goodbye to a huge part of childhood. He's never shown favouritism to any team and despite being a Galway man he is always gracious to any county who beats Galway or loses to Galway.

Fair play to him, wish him well.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 28/08/2018 14:47:36    2137135

Can't say I ever had much time for him, wish he would take Marty with him as well, also take Ger Canning, Martin Carney and Dessie Dolan, that would be a good clear out.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3188 - 28/08/2018 15:13:03    2137148

Yes he will be sadly missed, and it will just never be the same, sadly a lot of the great presenters that we've grown up with such as Michael Lyster, Bill O'Herlihy, Tom Mc Gurk etc have all retired are worse still left us. Shame they couldn't have brought him back as a contractor, as Michael still has loads to offer and he's only 64 for god's sake. If he wanted to go, fair enough, but I think it's more to do with RTE pushing him out the door as he's about to hit 65.

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 28/08/2018 15:29:35    2137158

Yeh I always liked him. Cantwell is decent enough, didn't think I'd like a woman doing it but she seems to know her stuff.
NOT a sexist remark and I think if people are totally honest they know what I mean.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8753 - 28/08/2018 15:36:10    2137163

I was never a big fan of his to be honest. He seemed like a decent bloke though to be fair.

I always felt that he let the football pundits away with far too much nonsense without challenging them on it.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13797 - 28/08/2018 16:17:43    2137187

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 28/08/2018 16:24:57    2137191

leitrim4sam (Leitrim) - Posts: 699 - 28/08/2018 16:26:02    2137192

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 28/08/2018 16:27:13    2137193

A lovely pleasant gentleman and a good presenter. At his best with the hurling panel as he struggled to control the football panel but never added to the malice himself. I have a feeling that Joanne will tolerate less nonsense , off topic rants and agendas from them. Wishing Michael a long, happy and healthy retirement.

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 605 - 28/08/2018 16:33:18    2137199

He'll be missed.

There's a few the other side of the table who could follow.

As some have mentioned other presenters/commentators, I'll take this opportunity to praise Darragh Maloney. The man is brilliant as a presenter but even better in the commentary box.

I was always a Dunphy fan, but accepted that he changes like the wind when it suits him. . .But I've been listening to his podcast for the past number of months and have to say; he's an incredibly gifted interviewer! He gets the big names which is 90% of the battle, but his ability to put the right question to the guest at the right time is seriously admirable.

We're blessed with some of the TV personalities we have in this country. When you see haw far James Cordon gets in the UK and US, it makes you appreciate what we've produced

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5246 - 28/08/2018 16:35:52    2137200

Best wishes to Michael in his retirement from RTE. He had a very successful career fronting a big show... was always effective and was got good mileage from the panel. Has a good knowledge of the game and overall he was very fair minded and rarely showed any bias in any form to any player or team. That would be some challenge for the best of us... and over the time span he was there...a great career and I wish him well in his new ventures.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1875 - 28/08/2018 16:46:56    2137205

martyW (Westmeath) - Posts: 333 - 28/08/2018 16:48:27    2137206

Big part of the Sunday game from the start, always fair and seemed like a genuine nice man

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 2215 - 28/08/2018 16:49:54    2137207

Good luck to M. Lyster on his retirement, his longevity is such that I can't remember an All-Ireland final before his spell in the presenter's chair.

Who would posters want to succeed him? I quite like Darragh Moloney.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 28/08/2018 16:52:07    2137208

My hero

M Lyster (Antrim) - Posts: 465 - 28/08/2018 17:17:48    2137216

Total gent

Would be interested if the people here who didnt have much time for him have reasons or is it just self reflection

Ban (Westmeath) - Posts: 1468 - 28/08/2018 17:22:27    2137219

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 28/08/2018 18:11:19    2137238

Best of Luck to him. I always like him.

Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2509 - 28/08/2018 18:51:05    2137250

Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 28/08/2018 19:29:05    2137258

I think Joanne Cantwell is excellent and will freshen the whole thing up, the pundits need to be shifted as well, we need ex players in who know the modern game, not the cast of last of summer wine reminiscing about some mythical time when they played and everything was perfect, and please God they will get some new commentators on board as well but I suppose that is less likely, will we have to endure Marty till he reaches 65?

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3188 - 28/08/2018 19:45:13    2137264