Cost the inhibiting factor to HawkEye at Clones

The “massive costs” associated with HawkEye is the primary deterrent to the installation of the score detection system at Clones, according to Ulster Council chairman Martin McAviney.

Donegal failed in their bid to string back-to-back Ulster football titles on Sunday, and were left to rue a late Paddy McBrearty miss at St Tiernach’s Park.

Trailing 0-11 to 0-10 as the clock spilled into the third minute of second-half stoppages, McBrearty launched an equalising effort 35-metres from goal. The umpire would wave wide the Donegal forward’s kick and while there were no protests from Rory Gallagher’s players, Monaghan’s Vinny Corey speculated after the game that the ball had in fact crept inside the right post.

Casement Park is the sole Ulster venue to be earmarked for the Hawkeye technology and although the redevelopment of the Belfast ground has been stalled due to the objections of a local residents group, McAviney does not expect Clones to benefit as a result.

“Hawkeye in Clones has never come up during my time as Ulster chairman. I would say the cost would be the inhibiting factor,” he said.

Reports have suggested it cost the GAA

€200,000 to have Hawkeye installed at Croke Park, though that figure has never been confirmed.

“Bringing it into a ground is not a decision you take likely. There are running costs involved, as well as the installation costs. It is the ideal thing to put into Casement Park because you are building a new stadium from the ground up, but it would have never been considered for Clones.

“There was no reproach from the Donegal players after Patrick’s shot was signalled wide. It would be ideal to have Hawkeye in every ground to adjudicate shots like that, but it simply isn’t feasible.

“Extending the height of the goalposts has never been mentioned either.”