LOI TV has won many fans over this season, with a rebrand of the League of Ireland coming in tandem with an improvement in the league's online output.
The addition of YouTube highlights, and an affordable season pass price of just €120 have vastly improved the lure of the service, and the attendance figures at grounds also paint an encouraging picture of increasing interest in the League of Ireland.
Evidently, the new offerings are helping to spread the LOI overseas as well, judging by some social media posts this weekend.
"SPFL Mediawatch" - an account devoted to following the Scottish Premiership - has shared a brilliant clip from Friday's game between UCD and Sligo Rovers, which shows the unique charm of the commentary on offer on LOI TV.
LOI TV: Fans notice hilarious UCD v Sligo commentary
UCD and Sligo Rovers played out a Premier Division thriller at the Belfield Bowl on Friday night, with Sligo taking a dramatic 3-2 away win late in the day against the Students.
With the game poised at 2-2 entering the final two minutes, a barrelling run from Sligo left-back Reece Hutchinson was halted by a clattering challenge from UCD's Alex Nolan, with the referee awarding a penalty.
The awarding of the penalty looked contentious at the time, with the challenge from Nolan firmly on the edge of the box - it was difficult to say definitively where exactly the contact had been made.
Declan Hughes, on co-commentary, made his feelings on the challenge abundantly clear, in a hilarious soundbite that would be shared by SPFL Mediawatch on Twitter:
The challenge happened outside the shaggin' box! Excuse my French...
Enjoying seeing the content from the League of Ireland with their new service.
This bit of commentary was too good not to share pic.twitter.com/jkpuGRqJX0— SPFL Mediawatch (@SPFLWatch) February 25, 2023
It's a welcome break from the standard fulsome apologies from commentators if any foul language can be heard from the sidelines or the crowd, with both LOI TV commentators chuckling along with Hughes' unusual outburst.
SPFL Mediawatch's post garnered quite the reaction from Scottish football fans.
Need more of that in Scotland imo
— Robbie Collins 📸🎤 (@RobbieC1877) February 25, 2023
Noo, THATS commentary
— Connor (@skagtrendy91) February 25, 2023
This rather than sportscene apologising for the crowd letting out a wee sweary that offends precisely no one
— Ross Parker (@rparker1877) February 25, 2023
Greatest league in the world
— Patrick ‘Pat’ Johnson (@pj1__) February 25, 2023
I need to be more like this guy hahaha https://t.co/lX5J1xBW93
— Simon SNB (@Simon_SNB) February 25, 2023
LOI is undefeated. https://t.co/TGPkSUjha6
— For The Love of Paul McGrath Villa Podcast (@LoveMcGrathpod) February 25, 2023
Make this happen on SPFL TV 😂 https://t.co/OejvxUk2Eq
— Farva (@FarvaRangers) February 25, 2023
Max Mata would go on to convert the penalty to complete his hat-trick and seal a 3-2 win for Sligo, who sit in 3rd place after two games on four points.
Sligo Rovers, St. Pats and Derry sit two points behind league leaders Bohemians, who were helped to a 2-1 home win over Dundalk by a sensational Jordan Flores free-kick on Friday night.
Both goals from last night 🔴⚫️
⚽️ Flores
⚽️ McDaid pic.twitter.com/pjkvDLUQDT— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) February 25, 2023
LOI TV has given us some classic moments already, and we can only hope for more classics from the likes of Declan Hughes and Joseph N'Do over the season to come.
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