Leitrim club seeks introduction of TMOs into GAA

A Leitrim club, Sean O'Heslins in Ballinamore, is angling for the introduction of television match officials for inter-county Championship games in 2012.

The club tabled a motion for Sunday's Leitrim GAA Convention regarding the implementation of 'on-the-spot video evidence', where possible, for televised GAA clashes next summer.

Televisions match officials or video referees, as they are sometimes called, have been successfully adopted in rugby union, ruling on whether a try has been scored or a kick went through the posts.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner about the proposal, Sean O'Heslins executive member and PRO Sean Ó Suilleabháin insisted that the move would eradicate some of the controversial scoring incidents that have marred big games in the recent past.

"Hawk-Eye would not have been enough to adjudicate properly on the controversial goal that won the Leinster title for Meath against Louth," he said.

"It's the same with Benny Coulter's goal for Down against Kildare which shouldn't have been allowed, and Graham Geraghty's against Kildare which should have. The use of on-the-spot video evidence would get rid of these controversies."

The Leitrim club want TMOs to be used in conjunction with Hawk-Eye. The GAA announced in August that Hawk-Eye technology will be used on a two-year pilot basis for all Championship football and hurling games played at Croke Park from 2012.

A full review will be conducted at the end of the two-year period and the proposal is subject to Congress approval.