O’Neill says sorry for Hawk-Eye error that cost Limerick

GAA president Liam O’Neill has apologised to Limerick for the Hawk-Eye error, which cost them in last August’s All-Ireland minor hurling final.

At the time, the UK-based score detection technology company held their hand up for their system erroneously judging Barry Nash’s shot as a wide. However, they never said sorry to Limerick for the malfunction in a game which they lost to Galway in extra-time.

But speaking at Limerick’s 2013 medal presentation in the Greenhills Hotel in the city on Sunday night, O’Neill took the opportunity to apologise for which he was applauded by the 350-strong crowd.

He said: “I want to mention the All-Ireland semi-final — I do want to acknowledge here tonight Barry Nash got a point that day that should have been awarded. I do regret it and we do apologise for it, and we are deeply sorry for it. It’s not easy to have to say it but that’s the way it is. I must say and it’s not easy to stand here and say it’s a source of huge regret to us it worked out the way it did.

“We went to enormous bother to get Hawk-Eye. Quite frankly, we spent a fortune on it to get things right for players, just so what happened that day wouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t have happened — the person didn’t configure it right and it’s a source of huge regret to us and a source of huge regret to me, personally, it happened to this Limerick team because I felt I got to know a bit about Limerick hurling during the summer.”

O’Neill was speaking in reference to his time in the county as it hosted last year’s Féile na nGael. He thanked Limerick’s officials such as minor manager Brian Ryan for being so understanding on the night. County chairman Oliver Mann welcomed O’Neill’s contrite words having himself mentioned the lack of an apology in his 2013 annual report.

“I would like to acknowledge the comments of Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael Liam O’Neill surrounding the Barry Nash-Hawk Eye point in Croke Park and I appreciate Liam coming here tonight and saying what he did. As far as Limerick County Board is concerned that episode is now finished, and I would like to thank Liam O’Neill for putting his end to that tonight”.