Joanne Cantwell has been working with RTE for about 1,000 years at this point, but tonight was her first go at presenting the Champions League coverage.
After years of Billo and Darragh Maloney and, occasionally, Peter Collins, Joanne is the first woman - and the first former Dublin Gaelic footballer - to front the coverage.
One tweeter sighed that the 'misogyny aimed at Joanne Cantwell starts in earnest' but we struggled to find much evidence of this online - with one lamentable exception.
In fact, far from being targeted for consistent sexist attacks, she wasn't even subjected to the normal barrage of abuse that greets every other RTE presenter on twitter. (Poor Ray D'arcy).
Not since Bill O'Herlihy quit have we seen so many positive tweets about a sports anchor.
@Joanne_Cantwell did very well tonight. Always very professional and knowledgeable in all sports#topgun
— Eugene Dooley (@DooleyEugene) April 27, 2016
Is Joanne Cantwell being prepped for the Euros? Would make for a refreshing change. Always delivers in the anchor role. @Joanne_Cantwell
— Peadar O'Sullivan ⚽ (@posephoto) April 27, 2016
How refreshing is it to see Joanne Cantwell anchoring the Champions League coverage.
— Marian Harrington (@MarianHar) April 27, 2016
Refreshing to see Joanne Cantwell doing the CL coverage on RTE. Good luck keeping those three in check ?
— Muireann Fanning (@muireannf) April 27, 2016
Pleased to see Joanne Cantwell finally has a seat doing the Champions League coverage after standing at the side for about eight years.
— Eamo (@EamoV1) April 27, 2016
Credit to Joanne Cantwell, she's absolute grilling the three boys on RTE to actually back up their opinions. Very informed presenter.
— David Connors (@peterswellman) April 27, 2016
Delighted to see Joanne Cantwell as anchor on @RTEsport's Champions League semi final coverage #sportsjournalist #welldeserved
— Jennifer Doyle (@RedJen86) April 27, 2016
Delighted to see Joanne Cantwell do such a great job on @RTE. All power to ya! #ChampionsLeague #NoDisrespectDarragh
— Marc Smith (@MarcSmithDub) April 27, 2016
@ballsdotie this is gold pic.twitter.com/7OJXndBEBh
— Daniel J Brady (@danjbrady) April 27, 2016
Amidst the ocean of positivity, there was one discordant note.
I'd say Bill O'Herlihy is turning in his grave with that whooer Joanne Cantwell in his seat #ChampionsLeague
— Niall_Maguire_ (@NiallMaguire99) April 27, 2016
Of course, fronting the Champions League coverage could never be her biggest night. For that you have to go back to her days at TV3.
That night Trevor Welch was sick and she had to present Sports Tonight surely cannot be topped as a career highlight.
