McCrabbe: Too many old umpires

ALAN McCRABBE has fanned the flames of the Hawk-Eye debate by suggesting the GAA are allowing too many old men to act as umpires.

The Dublin midfielder readily admits his shot, the opening score in their win over Offaly in last Sunday week’s Leinster SHC quarter-final at Croke Park, was wide.

However, the Craobh Chiarain man believes the credibility of the game has come under more scrutiny because of umpires’ mistakes.

“If that happened in the last few minutes of a game and Offaly lost by a point it would have been harsh but I don’t know if you bring it in will it work,” remarked McCrabbe at the launch of Under Armour’s partnership with Dublin GAA.

“The men (umpires) there should be able to see it.

“I don’t know if they’re using too many old people or lads withglasses, I don’t know.

“If the Hawk-Eye came in obviously it would show whether it had gone over or wide.

“But is it going to slow the game down that much?

“You don’t know.”

McCrabbe admitted he had turned away after hitting the ball and chastened himself for putting the ball wide.

“It was a bad decision at the end of the day,” he said about the umpire’s judgement.

“During the match I honestly thought it went wide. I turned my back and was giving out to myself. ”I looked around and your fella (the umpire) was waving the white flag so I wasn’t going to say anything. I’ll take it as they come.”

Meanwhile, Dublin footballer Mick Fitzsimons expects last year’s captain Paul Griffin to remain involved with the panel despite incurring another knee injury which is set to rule him out for the remainder of the championship.