GAA to allow extra water carriers as temperatures rise for hurling final

Not so sharp: The scoreboards indicates a 'NÍL' during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Derry and Galway when a Shane Walsh point was initially allowed, then disallowed and was again awarded following a review of HawkEye at half time. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

The GAA will allow an additional water carrier and permit water bottles to be placed around the pitch for Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling final.

With temperatures in Croke Park expected to reach at least 25 degrees by 3.30pm throw-in, the Central Competitions Control Committee are taking extra measures to ensure player safety.

In hurling, teams can have three water/hurley carriers but that number will increase to four for the Kilkenny-Limerick clash. However, players must come to the perimeter of the field to take water as the carriers can only enter the field of play to replace a hurley.

The counties will also be given the green light to make water bottles to be accessible in areas other than each goal mouth, the manager’s boxes and the carriers’ areas so that players can readily hydrate.

The GAA did away with water breaks in January of this year following the easing of Covid restrictions. While they didn’t rule out their return in the future, the intervals had been used by teams to pass on tactical advice to players.

Following the removal of the breaks, teams were reminded that selectors, backroom team members or players not on the match-day panel could double up as carriers. Regulation 2.9 states: “Official team personnel (Selectors/Coaches), substitutes, injured players or members of the extended panel may not act as Maoir Uisce. In the event that any injured player or a member of the extended panel act as a Maoir Uisce, any breach of rule, shall be considered as a Misconduct at Games by Team Officials infraction. Maoir Uisce are not permitted to have/use Communications devices i.e. walkie talkies."

Meanwhile, the GAA will make a final decision on Friday about using HawkEye for the final after “minor hardware failures” prompted games officials to restore Shane Walsh’s 45 point and suspend the score detection technology for the second half of last Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final between Galway and Derry.