Andy Moran: 'By the time championship comes around next year, there’ll be goal-line tech'

Mayo manager Andy Moran at a county GAA media event ahead of All-Ireland Final at McHale Park. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Mayo manager Andy Moran believes goal-line technology will be introduced by the GAA for the 2027 championship.

Speaking at the All-Ireland final press event in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Moran said that clear-cut incidents like goals and square balls should have the benefit of technology.

It comes after Dublin were left aggrieved at several crucial calls during their semi-final defeat to Kerry. Ger Brennan took issue with a first-half penalty, Sean O’Brien’s goal that could have been disallowed for a square ball and Ross McGarry’s palmed effort that was saved by Mike Breen, but may have crossed the line.

“We could dance around it,” said Moran. “I think, by the time the championship comes around next year, there’ll be goal-line technology. I don’t think they’re going to make that mistake again.

“To be fair, we’ve made huge progress over the last couple of years in Croke Park with the Hawk-Eye. But I think that’s just going to go to goal-line [technology] and square balls. I think it would take a very minimal amount of time to do that.

“Like, it couldn’t happen in a better game for them to get it in than in a Dublin Kerry game with a full house. Very unfortunate, I suppose, for Dublin and Tyrone over the last couple of weeks. But those decisions are there and they’re highlighted now; I think it’s going to automatically come in, to be honest with you.”

The Mayo boss stressed that he would not like to see a full implementation of VAR outside of those specific instances.

Moran, right, and Kobe McDonald post-semi-final. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

“I don’t think it can be done in any other stadium bar Croke Park. And I think we’ve had a really good demonstration with Hawk-Eye – maybe once or twice a game, you get it tight and usually it is the right decision to call it.

“So I think if the umpire had the decision to make yesterday, I think he’d just have said put it to the Hawk-Eye and away we go.

“If it goes to decisions of fouls and all that sort of stuff, I’d be totally against it.” While offering consideration for umpires, who have to watch ‘ten different things,’ Moran admitted he was sympathetic to Brennan’s frustration.

“It is a really tough rule. But if you were Dublin, you’d be hurting today about it.” Meanwhile, their squad is almost at full strength ahead of the first All-Ireland decider since 2021.

“Diarmuid Duffy hurt his shoulder last week in training, so that is why he was out of the squad. Will he be ok for the final? Touch and go, but hopefully because we want him in the squad.

“Paddy (Durcan) and Diarmuid (O’Connor) were back in last week. Darren McHale is obviously out; he is not going to get back for the season. Cillian (O'Connor) is touch-and-go again. We thought he was back and then he got a tiny bit of a setback. He is trying hard, but there are no guarantees.” Vice-captain Darren McHale has not featured this season after having surgery on his hip.

“We made a decision with Darren. We said we would look at this as a holistic thing over a longer period of time than just one season. We made that decision at the start of the year. We knew if he went for the surgery he went for, he may or may not get back.

“We were both comfortable with the situation. I would say it is really tough for him now on a personal level, but he has been an absolute champion for us behind the scenes. He has really bought into that role. It is tough for him being vice-captain.”