New Hawkeye system to debut at Croke Park

The new Hawkeye point detection technology for both hurling and football will be employed for the first time on June 1st at Croke Park for the Leinster Football Senior Championship quarter-final double header.

The new system provides real-time imagery on the stadium's big screen of a ball's trajectory over the posts. It will be used in Croke Park for a two year trial period after Motion 52 was passed at this year's Congress.

What will it NOT do?

Does NOT detect goals

Does NOT cover playing rule infringements e.g. Square Ball

Does NOT involve a TMO (Television Match Official)

What WILL it do?

Covers Gaelic Football and Hurling

Detects points only

How does it work?

8 high speed cameras

Ball position triangulated using 4 cameras covering each end

Height: Up to 26metres i.e. maximum height of goal posts (13m) and a further 13m on a virtual basis.

Width: Ball is tracked up to 4 metres outside of each post on a virtual basis.

Where there is any contact between the ball and the virtual post the shot will register as a ‘miss’ i.e. wide.

This is per the Playing Rules: Rule 3 - Scores: “A point is scored when the ball is played over the crossbar between the posts by either team”.

Ball and posts both tracked in real time

Automated decision made within 1 second

Primary Protocol

1. Umpire makes a ‘box’ signal with his hands to indicate to the Referee that a request for a Hawk-Eye review is being sought

2. Referee seeks Hawk-Eye review via communication system and makes ‘box’ signal with his hand

3. The Hawk-Eye replay is shown on the Big Screen

4. Referee confirms Hawk-Eye decision and indicates and awards either a ‘point’ or a miss i.e. a wide or a ‘45/’65. Umpire signals the decision

Communicating The Decision

Virtual Reality (VR) replay of point

On Big Screen

On TV

What happens if Umpire does not make a decision?

Where Umpire does not indicate that a point has been scored and the play continues:

1. Review Official communicates to Referee that a Hawk-Eye review is necessary

2. Referee stops play

3. Referee makes a ‘box’ signal with his hands to seek Hawk-Eye review

4. The Hawk-Eye replay is shown on the Big Screen

5. Referee confirms Hawk-Eye decision and awards a ‘point’. Umpire signals the decision.

What happens if Referee seeks Hawk-Eye review of an Umpire decision?

Where Umpire makes an incorrect decision regarding a ‘point’ or ‘wide’:

1. Umpire makes incorrect decision (i.e. ‘point’ or ‘wide’)

2. Review Official communicates to Referee that a Hawk-Eye review is necessary

3. Referee makes a ‘box’ signal with his hands to seek Hawk-Eye review

4. The Hawk-Eye replay is shown on the Big Screen

5. Referee confirms Hawk-Eye decision and makes the appropriate decision. Umpire signals that decision.

Back-up Communication

Unavailability of Big Screen

Where the Big Screen is unavailable all decision will be announced to spectators via the PA system

Where the games is televised the decision will be shown on TV despite the unavailability of the Big Screen and confirmed with the match officials

Hawk-Eye data unavailable

If for any reason the Hawk-Eye result is unavailable, the final decision of ‘point’ or ‘wide’ will be made by the match officials

An appropriate graphic indicating same will appear on the Big Screen