RTE SPORTS AWARDS:RTÉ has been forced to issue an apology after its end-of-year sports awards were blighted by a series of glitches that resulted in viewers being unable to see Katie Taylor receive her Sports Person of the Year prize.

Both the initial announcement of the award winner – chosen by a public vote – and Taylor’s subsequent acceptance speech were interrupted by ad breaks.

Head of RTÉ sport Ryle Nugent posted a message on Twitter apologising for the disruption. “Sincere apologies for the technical issue at the end of tonight’s programme,” he wrote. “We’re investigating how it happened.”

RTÉ also mistakenly included the name of Archdeacon of Cork Michael O’Brien in a sporting obituaries piece during the show and once again had to apologise on Twitter.