NEWS: GAVIN CUMMISKEYtalks to Alan McCrabbe about thatpoint and whether technology would help or hinder

UMPIRE DECISIONS – the early summer debate in GAA circles is being stretched for all its worth. That Croke Park installed Hawk-Eye technology for the National League finals, not for official use but to see whether it is a viable option in the future, meant everyone was primed for the next point or goal to be disallowed, or allowed, incorrectly.

The Graham Geraghty square ball fiasco last weekend doesn’t really count, not where Hawk-Eye is concerned, but when Alan McCrabbe opened the Dublin hurlers’ account against Offaly on May 29th with a shot that replays showed went wide, the matter became a live issue once again.

McCrabbe was in Parnell Park yesterday for the launch of the Dublin GAA partnership with Under Armour. First question, predictably enough, was about his “point”.

“It was a bad decision at the end of the day,” said McCrabbe.

“To be honest, during the match I honestly thought it went wide. I turned my back and was giving out to myself. I looked around and your fella (the umpire) was waving the white flag so I wasn’t going to say anything. I’ll take it as they come.”

It wasn’t too overly controversial a situation, it being so early in a contest that Dublin eventually won with four points to spare but the worst case scenario cannot but spring to mind.

“If that happened in the last few minutes of a game and Offaly lost by a point it’s harsh but I don’t know if you bring (Hawk-Eye) in will it work. The men there should be able to see it.

“I don’t know if they’re using too many old people or lads with glasses...”

This last sentence by Dublin’s first hurling All Star in 19 years – who bridged the gap with Brian McMahon in 1990 – is light-hearted and not meant to cause offence but this being a recurring issue the next query is whether the credibility of GAA officiating is now under threat?

“Yeah, I suppose it is. When it’s a big match if they’re over they should be given and if they’re wides they should be wides.”

Hawk-Eye works in cricket and tennis so what about Gaelic games?

“If the Hawk-Eye came in, obviously it would show whether it had gone over or wide. But is it going to slow the game down that much? You don’t know.”

What we do know is this problem has not gone away.

The Dublin hurlers have put themselves in a situation now where every game they play is bigger than the one gone before.

Next up is Galway in Tullamore on Saturday week but this Saturday has them and everyone in the hurling community watching with interest to see how Kilkenny react to to the National League final defeat.

Brian Cody’s team go down to Wexford Park tomorrow night.

“It’s going to be a tough battle for Kilkenny,” said McCrabbe. “It’s a hard place to go, down to Wexford, looking to get a result, especially in the championship.

“I suppose Wexford will probably fancy themselves a little bit after us beating Kilkenny in the league final but I expect Kilkenny are going to come out wounded now and to make a point. We’ll have to see how they get on.

“It is a very big game for Kilkenny. People are trying to write them off and I suppose they’re going to try and come back and put things right against Wexford on the day. I suppose it’s going to be a tough game, I think it’s going to come down to the last few minutes of the match.”

Kilkenny have always been an intensely physical bunch but they seemed to lose their discipline as the league final slipped away from them, with Eoin Larkin red-carded and John Dalton subsequently suspended for eight weeks for striking.

“Well it’s hard when you’re winning so much and you’re not used to losing and, I suppose, when they did start getting a bit dirty at that stage they were eight, nine points down. Kilkenny aren’t used to being that much down.

“I suppose we were in their face every minute of that day so they probably weren’t used to it. They know how to deal with it now.”

Still, the advice for Wexford seems clear. “We knew ourselves we had the physicality in the team, we have the speed. We just used what we had to our advantage; it did work out on the day. I suppose you do have to try to hunt Kilkenny down in packs – that’s the only way to stop them. If you can stop their half-back line delivering ball you have half the battle won.”