Bad point call sparks Hawk-Eye debate

THE pressure to introduce Hawk-Eye into the GAA championships intensified yesterday after Dublin were awarded a point that clearly went wide in their Leinster SHC quarter-final win over Offaly.

Alan McCrabbe’s second-minute effort was deemed by John Sexton’s umpire to have gone between the posts although video footage showed it sailed outside the right-hand post.

Supporters and journalists were stunned when the score was given. Dublin manager Anthony Daly, who was standing close to McCrabbe when he struck towards the Hill 16 goal, admitted he didn’t think it was a point.

“I don’t know, from where I was looking it was bandy enough,” said Daly. “I was kinda giving out about it... ‘Jesus, Alan’.

“I just saw the umpire pointing across (for the flag) after.”

Daly’s opposite number Joe Dooley insisted he couldn’t remember the incident. “I can’t really recall it,” he said.

Offaly fell victim of an umpire’s decision in last year’s Leinster SHC semi-final when Galway’s Ger Farragher was awarded a point from a sideline cut that footage showed to have gone wide. The match ended a draw and Galway won the replay.

Speaking last week, GAA President Christy Cooney revealed the association were due to meet with Hawk-Eye representatives this week following their feasibility test during the Allianz Division One game between Dublin and Down at Croke Park.

“We had a meeting with Hawk-Eye a couple of weeks back and they did a fairly thorough examination of the Down-Dublin football game,” confirmed Cooney.

“We were due to meet them last week but one of the principals had a family accident so they weren’t able to come. I think it’s some day next week (this week) we are due to meet them again. It is going through a process of testing and we need to review it then and gradually make our decision over time.”