2012 go-ahead for Hawk-Eye?

GAA Director General Paraic Duffy has confirmed that Hawk-Eye technology will come in for the 2012 Championships if adopted at Congress.

Kerry manager Jack O’Connor claimed after Saturday evening’s narrow defeat to Dublin at Croke Park that score detection technology is required as soon as possible.

O’Connor was fuming that Colm Cooper’s second half ‘point’ was ruled out by officials when the presence of systems such as Hawk-Eye would have ensured the correct call was made.

Ironically, Hawk-Eye is set to go on trial for one of Dublin’s remaining Allianz League games at Croke Park against Mayo or Down though a decision on which one has yet to be finalised. Duffy agreed that Hawk-Eye could have solved the Cooper dilemma at the weekend and had encouraging news for those, like O’Connor, who want the technology introduced sooner rather than later.

He confirmed that even if a change of rule is required to introduce Hawk-Eye and, consequently, a Congress vote in 2012, that it will still come in for that summer’s Championships and won’t have to be held off until January 2013.

“If it’s going to happen it will be for the 2012 Championships,” said Duffy, who believes that a Congress vote won’t be needed.

“I wouldn’t have thought so. But that’s one of the issues we have to look at. They (Hawk-Eye) will come back in May with a report with all of the details. I would imagine we’ll decide in the summer whether to go ahead with it or not.”

The GAA ditched the idea of introducing a Clock and Hooter trial for this year because of associated costs and Duffy admitted there are financial implications to discuss regarding Hawk-Eye’s potential adoption.

“Cost may be a factor,” he continued. “People may assume that we can put it into Croke Park and that would be it. But if there are games in Breffni Park, Tullamore or Ballybofey on the same Sunday, Hawk-Eye has to be in every one of them. It can’t just be in one venue so there will be a cost issue. My opinion is that it has to be in every venue.”

Duffy was speaking at yesterday’s launch of the Ulster Bank Sigerson Cup finals weekend which takes place from Thursday to Saturday at UCD.

He rejected the suggestion made by several GAA managers and commentators recently that the third level championships should be switched to a pre-Christmas slot to avoid certain players being overworked in spring.

“It is not realistic to talk about playing this competition before Christmas, colleges don’t come back until the end of September, start of October,” claimed Duffy.

“It causes a problem with the calendar for a short period at the start of the Leagues and U-21 championships. But I think people should accept it is a price that is well worth paying forthe contribution the colleges aremaking to the development of our games.”

Meanwhile, Duffy refused to speculate on whether his much anticipated discussion document on illegal payments to GAA managers and coaches will ever be published.

The paper was expected out as far back as last October but was only presented to Management Committee officials in December and, it would now appear, may be retained as a private document.

“I submitted the paper to Management Committee and it was discussed at two meetings,” said Duffy.

“It will be discussed again at the March meeting and I assume after that a decision will be made on it.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I submitted it and it’s for Management to decide.”

Duffy also said that it will be a unique Congress this year following confirmation that Liam O’Neill will be unopposed for the GAA Presidency.

“It makes Congress a bit different, I don’t ever remember it before,” said Duffy of Sheamus Howlin’s decision to follow Con Hogan and Tom Daly by pulling out of the battle.