Emmet Moloney writes for the 'Irish Farmers Journal' and is a former sports columnist with 'The Kerryman'.

With minutes remaining and Antrim’s footballers closing in on one of the shocks of the summer, RTÉ’s live commentary was interrupted for the sea area forecast. Emmet Moloney wasn’t happy...

Bless me readers for I have a rant in me. It’s been a good three months since my last one, so here goes. RTÉ are facing bankruptcy, we hear. Well I have a few suggestions for saving the few euro and it’s all to do with the Sunday Sport on Radio 1.

This programme is iconic and every last one of us has fond memories of the Sundays at the beach, gathered around the car radio listening to matches. The seamless transition from Michael O’Hehir to Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh only added to the experience. I spend the odd Sunday in the car and rely on the radio, probably the best medium for enjoying sport. Every summer Sunday in this country is about the big GAA match. Micheál and Len Gaynor from Thurles and the Munster hurling championship? You had me at 'Fáilte romhaibh...'

But back to the recession and the future of our national broadcaster. Cathal Goan is the head honcho at RTÉ and he needs to save money. Well Cathal, you could start by giving Doctor Aidan Nulty Sundays off. As Antrim were closing in on the shock of the year so far, we were treated to Aidan’s dulcet tones as he told us that Hector and Pascal were travelling at a rate of knots around Valentia. Malin and Mizen Head came in for mention too, while Donegal football was burning. I pity the poor Antrim man listening on the internet somewhere round the world and waiting for news. All he got was the sea area forecast at ten to five.

Surely, Cathal, those who need the sea area forecast can wait till after the matches are over and, anyway, haven’t they all instruments now to check on the weather? Or maybe they could look out the window, Cathal? Aidan Nulty is a doctor too, we are told. Jaysus, he can’t be cheap on a Sunday. Time and a half at least!

By the way, Cathal, you could also get rid of your news bulletins on a Sunday afternoon. If we want the news that badly we can switch to 2FM. The same news was repeated ad nauseum on the three, four and five o’clock bulletins. If that wasn’t bad enough, there was no news from the South. Two items from the North, counties Tyrone and Fermanagh. Now Cathal, before we get all republican, nice people as they are in Tyrone and Fermanagh, they don’t pay your licence fee. We do. The third item was the great news that streets of Teheran were thronged with people. Were they out to listen to Micheál and Len from Semple Stadium? No, some guy called Ach-moo-gin-eee-dad won an election. That was it. That was the news and while Antrim were scoring the vital goal that’s what we were listening to. Not good enough. And typical of sections of archaic thinking from within Montrose.

So come on, Cathal, get your act together. We have a big weekend coming up. Great hurling and football on Saturday and Sunday. Pick your match and stick to it. The only time we need to hear Dr Aidan Nulty is if he’s covering one of the matches. If I was Dr Aidan I’d think about Waterford and Limerick because Munster hurling replays have a tendency to raise temperatures. The second instalment promises to be fiery and we can expect fellas to 'wear' it off each other from the start.

The reasons for this are all too human. The team that finishes the first match well, will want to start the second game the same. The team that faded badly (in this case, Waterford) will be quite keen to lay down a marker as well. Cue some kind of melée before we get down to hurling.

Having fancied Limerick on Sunday, I now actually think the Déise will get their act together and win. They surely can’t be as bad as they looked during Sunday’s second half. No score from play in the entire second period? If they don’t come out of the traps breathing fire then Davy’s days are numbered.

On Saturday evening we have the enticing prospect of Joe Canning trying to beat Kilkenny on his own. That’s what the media will protray this tussle as anyway. Dr Aidan can expect some thunder and lightning around Tullamore on Saturday because I think the Cats are as vulnerable as they are ever going to be. Why? Well, Cha could be out and he’s a potential big loss. Also I get the feeling that some referee some day is going to be very hard on the Cats. It could be this weekend. Of course you can throw the Tribemen’s potential into the mix, as always. They do have pacy forwards and if they click any team will struggle to contain them. Although you’d still expect the Cats to win.

If Cathal Goan takes my advice, well then Dr Aidan could do worse than visit Limerick on his day off this Sunday. Tipp will win and could possibly hammer the Banner out the gate. But I can’t help feeling there is a performance in my native county. This panel have a score to settle with the same team in the same venue from 12 months ago when Clare never raised a proper gallop in the Munster hurling final. More skin and hair to fly, I hope, and hopefully a close game. But it still has to be Tipp.

Dublin and Wexford round off a great weekend for hurling. Plenty of neutrals will want to see Anthony Daly lead the Dubs to a Leinster final and I’m one of them. Somewhere down the line this summer we are going to see another shock on the Antrim scale. It could be Limerick sneaking the Munster football title or it could be Dublin frightening the life out of Kilkenny in a Leinster final. I’d take either one.

I don’t think there are any Hectors or Pascals playing championship hurling this weekend. So please, Cathal, can we have no mention of them when there’s hurling to be listened to!

To catch Emmet's latest column, get 'The Irish Farmers' Journal' every Thursday...