Ó Sé: Refs need help

Former Kerry midfielder Darragh Ó Sé has weighed in on the debate surrounding Limerick's controversial All-Ireland SFC qualifier win over Wexford.

Ian Ryan's injury-time point split the sides in Portlaoise last Saturday. Referee Derek Fahy ruled that the score stood after one umpire signalled it wide and the other reached for the white flag.

This is not the first dispute over a point or goal in this year's Championships, and Ó Sé, writing in his Irish Times column, said that the situation is "getting beyond a joke now".

"I really think this might be the summer where things finally change for the better because there have just been so many incidents that have had a serious effect on matches and results," said the six-time All-Ireland winner.

"To be fair to the GAA, they're out there on the ground. I see Páraic Duffy in the crowd at matches so you can't say they're sitting above in Croke Park pretending nothing is happening. But this was just about as farcical as you could get."

Longford official Fahy has been heavily criticised for his handling of the incident. But some Wexford players, including goalkeeper Anthony Masterson and defender Adrian Morrissey, have also lashed out at his performance over the entire 70 minutes.

Masterson and Morrissey both dubbed Fahy the worst referee in the country, while forward Ciarán Lyng made his feelings known on Twitter, writing: "For 70 minutes Derek Fahy gave the most disgraceful refereeing performance I've ever seen, culminating in the final 'free' against Joey Wadding. Well done and good luck to Limerick."

Aindreas Doyle, another of the Wexford players on the social networking website, insisted: "If the GAA don't introduce Hawk-Eye, I'll find it hard to go back. 'Human error' doesn't cut it - nine months' work and gone."

Ó Sé wants the GAA authorities to act consistently on the errors being made by referees at the top level, including Fahy who, he says, has previous form in this area.

"This was another mistake in a game refereed by Derek Fahy. He's trying his best, nobody can dispute that. But it's hard to argue that his best is good enough at this level.

"This isn't the first time he's been involved in controversy and a high profile mistake. Back in 2008, he had not one but two red cards rescinded over the course of the Championship - one for Marc Ó Sé (not nepotism, just fact!) and one for Dan Gordon. Yet here he is, still influencing games in the business end of the season.

"The referees can't deny there have been some awful ones (mistakes) this year. People say a referee shouldn't be the star of the show but I think that's nonsense. I have no problem with a referee being a stand-out performer once he produces the goods."

There is growing support for the GAA to introduce the Hawk-Eye system into Gaelic games, with the Gaelic Players Association giving its firm support for the use of video technology to rule on disputed scores.

Ó Sé can see the difference it could make in assisting inter-county referees who are already under constant pressure. "We've seen it so often this summer where a referee can make or break a game and we owe it to them to make their job easier so that they can get these decisions right," he added.

"I really believe that if ever there was a good time and a right atmosphere to start giving them some help, be it Hawk-Eye, a video ref or whatever, this is it."

The possible introduction of Hawk-Eye technology will be discussed by GAA officials at the upcoming management committee meeting on August 19 or 20.