The BBC has traditionally prized authoritative, dignified, and scrupulously impartial commentary. Think Barry Davies and the old English guys who used to Wimbledon.
US sports announcers are lauded for yelping excitability.
While South Americans are judged by long they can shout the word 'goal'.
But Irish local commentators are famous for rapid fire delivery, liberal use of player's nicknames and an obsession with small townlands in the county from which they come. Unashamed partisanship is always a help.
Here are the top 6 as of 24 August, 2015.
NOTE: Restricted to commentators tied to radio stations. Eddie Moroney is a fine man, but no radio station has seen to employ him as a commentator. And if they have, we haven't heard it.
6. Willie Hegarty
One of Roscommon's most illustrious sons, a compilation of Willie's greatest hits would be a marathon affair.
Here, he wins points for showcasing his pronunciation of the word 'greatest' - 'greashest' is the word Willie chooses to employ, a distinct improvement on the Oxford English dictionary approved version.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/83794418" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
5. Liam Aherne
Aherne receives full marks for his exhortation to the referee to blow the whistle and let the session proceed, an eminently sensible proposition with the Limerick crowd poised on the touchline, although the referee would probably be well advised not to include his rationale for the early whistle in his report.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/101161382" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
4. Sean Walsh
The delirious yahooing that greeted both Shane Maloney's winner and the final whistle is the highlight of Galway Bay FM's calling of the latter stages of the Galway-Tipperary semi-final.
Walsh's voice manages to capture the gathering anticipation in the air as Galway built that late, match-winning attack.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/219645199" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /]
3. Willie Hegarty and Seamus Duke
Here, Willie teed up one of his co-commentators (local stations are big believers in worth of using multiple co-commentators) Seamus Duke, who in a fit of sheer ecstasy, proclaimed Roscommon's 2006 minor success the greatest day of his life.
2. Syl O'Connor
The combination of Niall 'Gilly' Gilligan's barked shout of 'Yes!!!' and Syl's failing voice as Domhnaill O'Donovan's last-gasp effort sailed between the sticks makes this an unforgettable piece of commentary.
Not to mention Syl's charming admission that 'the voice is nearly gone, Niall, surely say something...'
[Gilligan said nothing between Pat Horgan's point which put Cork ahead and the relieved shout of 'Yes' with which he greeted the equaliser, leading us to believe he had been struck dumb by the appalling prospect that Clare were about to lose this game].
1. Brendan Hennessy
Sticking it to the neighbours is a cherished activity in all corners of the globe, whether it be Manchester or, as in this case, the Carlow-Wexford border.
Hennessy and his co-conspirator Terence Kelly saluted their Mount Leinster heroes on their Leinster club championship win of 2013-14, while simultaneously devoting much time to berating the county of Wexford for various slights in the lead-up to the game.
Namely, suggesting that Mt. Leinster belonged in a Division 2 grade rather than among the province's elite and scoffing that most of their players came through the Kilkenny hurling academy, aka, St. Kieran's College.
As Hennessy stressed repeatedly, 'Shame on Wexford!'
