Mega bucks mega pixel camera guarantees gaa future.

[rrhf]

I see the PR department of the GAA earned its stripes yesterday by parading county footballers at the launch of hawkeye amidst a comment paraphrased as this will cost a large 6 figure sum.  In this age of austerity I see it as an unneccessary spending of GAA money - Id much rather an incentive scheme to bring kids to croke park was funded.  Anyway now that it is going to happen.

[Shamrock Shore]

Are Specsavers not pumping a shed load of cash into the project?

Personally I don't think there is a need for this system. In memory the contentious scores I can think of are:

- Joe Sheridan's 'try'
- point in a Leinster game in the 90s between Carlow and Laois
- point in a Leinster club semi final between Longford's Fr. Manning Gaels and some other shower.
- point in 1997 by Cavan in Ulster final
- Kerry 'goal' v Limerick in Munster football final.

Only one of these occured in Croke Park.

So I think they are taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As rrhf says there are far better ways of using funds that may be floating around.

[rrhf]

Id love to see the figures.

[Hound]

Are Specsavers not pumping a shed load of cash into the project?

Personally I don't think there is a need for this system. In memory the contentious scores I can think of are:

- Joe Sheridan's 'try'
- point in a Leinster game in the 90s between Carlow and Laois
- point in a Leinster club semi final between Longford's Fr. Manning Gaels and some other shower.
- point in 1997 by Cavan in Ulster final
- Kerry 'goal' v Limerick in Munster football final.

Only one of these occured in Croke Park.

So I think they are taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As rrhf says there are far better ways of using funds that may be floating around.

I'm not sure if it'll even be used in the case of goals, but in any event Hawkeye would have been useless in the case of the Sheridan incident. All Hawkeye would have said was, Yes, the ball crossed the line. And ironically I doubt very much if Hawkeye would have been implemented but for the Sheridan incident!

Following the Dubs I'm lucky enough to get plenty of Croke Park games in each year. I'd say on average there's between 1 and 3 incidents a year in games I go to where it looks like a wrong decision has been made regarding the awarding/waving wide of a point.  But if it happens in the first 60 minutes, there's rarely any hulabaloo about it.

I'm in favour of it if the cost is completely covered by sponsors.

[Zulu]

So let me get this right, you're complaining while admiting you don't know the cost of it or what portion is coming from GAA coffers?? There are plenty of contentious points each year but only the ones that come at a crucial time or where cameras clearly show it was an incorrect call ate readily remembered.

There are always other ways of spending money but getting the calls right in our biggest games is worthy of investment. Give the damn thing a chance before ye fall over yerselves to start the whingefest, or at least come to the table with some hard facts.

[rrhf]

Not complaining but opening a debate that is as current as yesterdays papers.

[Syferus]

Are Specsavers not pumping a shed load of cash into the project?

Personally I don't think there is a need for this system. In memory the contentious scores I can think of are:

- Joe Sheridan's 'try'
- point in a Leinster game in the 90s between Carlow and Laois
- point in a Leinster club semi final between Longford's Fr. Manning Gaels and some other shower.
- point in 1997 by Cavan in Ulster final
- Kerry 'goal' v Limerick in Munster football final.

Only one of these occured in Croke Park.

So I think they are taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As rrhf says there are far better ways of using funds that may be floating around.

It happens way too regularly, barely a game has went by this year that I've seen without umpires having to make a very contentious call. I'd prefer at least some of those being out of the hands of people who are only there because they're mates with the ref and in the hands of cold technology. Cost is a concern but the GAA aren't stupid enough to not see the direction the wind is blowing in all of sport on this issue.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Are Specsavers not pumping a shed load of cash into the project?

Personally I don't think there is a need for this system. In memory the contentious scores I can think of are:

- Joe Sheridan's 'try'
- point in a Leinster game in the 90s between Carlow and Laois
- point in a Leinster club semi final between Longford's Fr. Manning Gaels and some other shower.
- point in 1997 by Cavan in Ulster final
- Kerry 'goal' v Limerick in Munster football final.

Only one of these occured in Croke Park.

So I think they are taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As rrhf says there are far better ways of using funds that may be floating around.

It happens way too regularly, barely a game has went by this year that I've seen without umpires having to make a very contentious call. I'd prefer at least some of those being out of the hands of people who are only there because they're mates with the ref and in the hands of cold technology. Cost is a concern but the GAA aren't stupid enough to not see the direction the wind is blowing in all of sport on this issue.

Sure there were two very debatable calls alone in the Galway v Kildare U-21 game last weekend. Galway won by 5 so no big deal made out of it but if it was a closer game there would have been uproar.

[magpie seanie]

So let me get this right, you're complaining while admiting you don't know the cost of it or what portion is coming from GAA coffers?? There are plenty of contentious points each year but only the ones that come at a crucial time or where cameras clearly show it was an incorrect call ate readily remembered.

There are always other ways of spending money but getting the calls right in our biggest games is worthy of investment. Give the damn thing a chance before ye fall over yerselves to start the whingefest, or at least come to the table with some hard facts.

Spending money on intercounty good, spending money on grassroots bad.

[shark]

Are Specsavers not pumping a shed load of cash into the project?

Personally I don't think there is a need for this system. In memory the contentious scores I can think of are:

- Joe Sheridan's 'try'
- point in a Leinster game in the 90s between Carlow and Laois
- point in a Leinster club semi final between Longford's Fr. Manning Gaels and some other shower.
- point in 1997 by Cavan in Ulster final
- Kerry 'goal' v Limerick in Munster football final.

Only one of these occured in Croke Park.

So I think they are taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. As rrhf says there are far better ways of using funds that may be floating around.

(Waits for an Offaly man to pipe up)

[Shamrock Shore]

If it's only going to be used in Croke Park (and correct me if I am wrong) there is no point in getting knickers in a twist over other grounds and disputed scores.

How many matches, apart from Joe Sheridan's goal which was a case of the referee losing his senses, were won and lost on a disputed score in Croke Park?

[johnneycool]

Will this Hawkeye system sort out the points as well where the ball sails 30 foot over the top of the posts?

[rrhf]

For 600k investment I think it will prove to be overkill.  How much is the TMO system in rugby which would have helped on the two most obvious daylight robbery situations over the last few years re the Sheridan incident which decided a Leinster championship and the Mc Laughlin scenario which decided an all Ireland.  The TMO system might have worked there.... the hawkeye which is designed for tennis balls going down courts may not.  I have heard the arguements but I am not looking forward to the anticlimax of the slow continental clap as they call, it as the excited croke park crowd watches the virtual ball on the big screen  going wide before 80 000 people groan simultanaeously   Agh FFS Mayo..       
Another positive note we all know that hawkeye ould have actually denied us the opportunity of Cavan robbing Derry in the Ulster final in 1997. Be careful what you wish for. 

[Croí na hÉireann]

Will this Hawkeye system sort out the points as well where the ball sails 30 foot over the top of the posts?

That's what it's designed for.

[Zulu]

Not complaining but opening a debate that is as current as yesterdays papers.

Hmmmm, not really doing that are you?

For 600k investment I think it will prove to be overkill

Where are you getting this? You're not mixing up the term 'six figure sum' with €600,000 are you? And you still haven't acknowledged that specsavers are contributing to it so it may not be costing the GAA a penny.

How much is the TMO system in rugby which would have helped on the two most obvious daylight robbery situations over the last few years re the Sheridan incident which decided a Leinster championship

It would cost nothing I presume since it's just a fella checking replays on a TV and this should be brought in too for Sheridan type situations but it would be no good for many disputed points.

I have heard the arguements but I am not looking forward to the anticlimax of the slow continental clap as they call, it as the excited croke park crowd watches the virtual ball on the big screen  going wide before 80 000 people groan simultanaeously   Agh FFS Mayo..

You haven't read anything about hawkeye prior to questioning whose job is on the line have you? It will be pretty much instantaneous so I doubt they will repeat the tennis carry on. Anyway it will take less time than it does to restart after players have had a good go off the referee or umpire for getting it wrong.

It also has the added advantage of eliminating the sight of goalkeepers leaping around waving their arms like a drugged up raver shouting 'wide, wide, wide' when the ball has clearly gone over.

How many matches, apart from Joe Sheridan's goal which was a case of the referee losing his senses, were won and lost on a disputed score in Croke Park?

It will allow referees make certain any point attempt has been correctly adjudged in Croke Park and since most of the most important games are played there that is a positive step in the right direction.

Spending money on intercounty good, spending money on grassroots bad.

Like you Seanie I'm involved in underage and we are in desperate need of money but that doesn't mean money shouldn't be spent elsewhere and getting decisions right at the top level of our game is also money well spent.