Brennan: Video evidence a must for refs in sendings-off decisions

Former Kilkenny star Eddie Brennan believes referees should be allowed to use video evidence to help make important decisions such as sendings-off.

Red cards have been central to three big games in this year’s SHC and the eight-time All-Ireland-winner is of the view the referees should be aided in their decision-making.

“I think it would help the referees and take some of the pressure off them. It only takes a few seconds to look at the camera, rather than having to make a split-second decision, I wouldn’t like to be in that situation.

“The controversial point in hurling this year has been sendings-off and that’s unfair. My opinion is a referee should be a facilitator, the good refs are the ones you don’t see.”

Brennan also feels hurling and football should be separated in terms of disciplinary matters.

“I thought last year – and I stand to be corrected – some of the football analysts observed hurling was being given a free rein, and I disagreed with that,” he said.

“Hurling and football are obviously two different games with different skillsets and played at a different pace, so you have to referee them differently. I went before the CCCC one year, and with all due respect to the men doing the job, there was only one hurling county, a Clareman, among the eight fellas that were called out to me, and I said to myself, ‘I’m in bother here’. It’d be like a Kilkenny man passing judgement on a footballer.

“I heard Pat McEnaney talk this year at the start of the hurling championship and he spoke well and I’d have no problem with him as head of the referees, but I think maybe you should have somebody like Dickie Murphy or another top ref helping, to give a hurling viewpoint.”