Hawk-Eye rumours are wide of the mark

NEW TECHNOLOGY:UMPIRES CAN'T take their eyes off the ball for a while yet. Reports that the GAA are poised to embrace score detection technology – and more specifically the Hawk-Eye brand – have proven premature.

Instead, it will be 2012 at the earliest before any such technology is introduced in competitive games, even on an experimental basis.

A statement from Croke Park yesterday dismissed reports that score detection technology may be tried out in a competitive setting as early as the All-Ireland club finals on St Patrick’s Day, although it has been agreed the technology would be further explored over the coming months.

“The GAA can confirm that at the December 11th meeting of Coiste Bainistí (Management Committee) a full feasibility study on the possible use of score detection technology was sanctioned,” said the statement, “and this is expected to be completed before May.

“It was not envisaged at any stage that any such system would be used for the AIB GAA AllIreland club finals in March, or for games in the 2011 season, and reports to the contrary are inaccurate. The roll out of the feasibility study will continue in the months ahead and no final decision will be taken on its possible use before further discussion at Coiste Bainistí and Ard Chomhairle (Central Council).”

Indeed, a spokesperson for Croke Park added there was no way the GAA would risk experimenting with such technology so quickly and in such a high-profile game as the All-Ireland club final.

If and when the technology is ready to be tested then it will only take place in specially staged practice games.

What is certain at this stage is representatives from Hawk-Eye have been in contact with Croke Park with a view to carrying out some sort of advance study over a three-week period.

The first stage of that process is ensuring Croke Park can facilitate the technology, and that it will also meet the unique demands of Gaelic Games, especially hurling.

Among the other concerns is the cost. However, sponsorship in other sports have offset the finances required, namely at Wimbledon, and in English cricket, where the respective sports organisations allow Hawk-Eye commercial rights on big screens.

But opinions on the subject of score detection technology have been and are likely to remain mixed. Last July, in the immediate aftermath of Meath’s highly controversial Leinster football final win over Louth, National Referees Committee chairman Mick Curley said there was no appetite among referees to introduce such technology – and that even if there was, the limitations of it would still be significant.

“One of the problems with video technology is deciding where it begins and ends,” said Curley.

“It’s very hard to decide on that. Is it only going to be introduced for goal-line situations? Because in Gaelic football and hurling, a decision made out the field can be just as crucial, especially if a score comes from it. And is it only going to be for crucial scores?

“In any closely contested game, every score is crucial, whether it happens in the last minute or 10 minutes into the second half.

“And in fairness, I’ve met referees countless times over the last three years, and many times prior to that as a referee myself, and the issue never came up, or was even discussed.

“No referee has ever said to me, ‘look, we should have a camera on the goal, or here or there’.”