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Half a million watch rugby loss on huge weekend for RTÉ Sport

Cian Healy, left, James Ryan and Jacob Stockdale react after the 18-7 defeat to England at Twickenham
Cian Healy, left, James Ryan and Jacob Stockdale react after the 18-7 defeat to England at Twickenham

On a bumper weekend of sport, television viewers for Ireland's defeat to England in the Autumn Nations Cup peaked at 564,000 on RTÉ One, with a share of 50% of those watching TV at the time. 

An average of 500,000 Irish viewers watched on as Ireland departed Twickenham with their fourth successive defeat to Eddie Jones' side

With the GAA championship entering the business stage, there was huge interest in the hurling and football action over the weekend. 

Galway's one-point win over Tipperary on Saturday in the SHC quarter-final drew an average of 286,000, a share 37%, peaking at 388,000 towards the end of an absorbing contest in Limerick. 

Saturday evening’s Bloody Sunday commemoration ceremony at Croke Park was watched by 254,000, while Dublin's dismantling of Meath in Leinster SFC final that followed drew an average of 388,000. 

Sunday saw the historic double of Tipperary’s first Munster football title in 85 years and Cavan’s first success in Ulster since 1997. 

An average of 339,000 viewers, peaking at 471,400, watched the Premier County down Cork on their own turf, while an average of 380,000 watched on as Donegal's three-in-a-row bid in Ulster came to an end.

This weekend promises yet another feast of sporting action across RTÉ beginning on Saturday with the All-Ireland camogie semi-finals from Páirc Uí Chaoimh (12.00pm on RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) and the All-Ireland hurling semi-final from Croke Park between Kilkenny and Waterford (5.15pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) on The Saturday Game Live. 

Sunday begins with live racing from the Fairyhouse Winter Festival (12.50pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) and continues on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player with Ireland v Georgia in the Guinness Series Live from the Aviva Stadium (1.40pm).

The Sunday Game Live features live coverage from Croke Park of the All-Ireland Hurling semi-final between Galway and Limerick (3.20pm RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player) and on Sunday evening the Sunday Game will look back over the weekend's championship action (9.30pm, RTÉ2 & RTÉ Player). 

Irish Language commentary for both All-Ireland hurling semi-finals will be available on the RTÉ News channel.

RTÉ Saturday Sport (2-8pm) and Sunday Sport (2-6pm) programmes will have extensive coverage of Ireland v Georgia in the Autumn Nations Cup as well as live commentary of both All-Ireland hurling semi-finals. 

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