Doyle: ‘Devastated’ Wexford won’t challenge Limerick loss
A late Ian Ryan point secured victory for the Shannonsiders at O’Moore Park but Model County players and officials are adamant the effort should not have stood.
One umpire waved the shot wide but he was subsequently overruled by referee Derek Fahy. Video replays of the incident have proven inconclusive and Doyle last night said the matter is now closed.
“We are devastated about what happened on Saturday night,” said Doyle. “Of the three officials adjudging the score, the umpire who waved it wide was standing in the best position to make the decision.
“It has been a bad year for us in terms of controversial decisions with our minor and U21 hurlers having bad calls made against them. And now this happens. We appreciate that referees are human. But given the amount of effort that teams are putting in, we the GAA, as an organisation, need to look at how we train our match officials.”
Though furious with their exit from the championship, Doyle explained that any appeal of the outcome would be pointless.
“The video replays shown on The Sunday Game were inconclusive and those are the only pictures available of the incident. It would be fruitless to challenge it if we don’t have evidence to support our case. Sadly that is the end of the matter.”
The incident has brought the debate about score detection Hawk Eye technology into sharp focus again for the GAA. Doyle was a fan of the new system before this latest controversy but believes Croke Park bosses may not be willing to invest in these tough economic times.
“I am all for new technology. We put in a request from a club here in Wexford to introduce hooter systems in gaelic games but that was knocked on the head due to expense which would be incurred.
“And I’m sure that the same argument would be rolled out again in terms of Hawk Eye. But I think that the GAA need to look at it [Hawk Eye] now and bite the bullet.”
Doyle also believes that the human side of officialdom can be improved on big game day.
“I think that the GAA need to look at how umpires are appointed for major championship matches. In the past I would have been in the camp in favour of referees bringing their own umpires to big matches.
“But now that the stakes are so high I believe the GAA should appoint the four umpires in the same way they appoint the referees, linesmen and fourth officials.”
Meanwhile, Wexford will now turn their attentions to the vacant senior management positions.
Already Colm Bonnar has resigned his senior hurling post, while Jason Ryan’s extended four-year term concluded with Wexford’s exit from the championship.
Doyle said the executive would be meeting over the coming weeks to discuss the various management posts.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
