HAWKEYE IS SET to come into use in the GAA in Croke Park in June if it gets approval at the association’s Congress next month.
The score detection system has been rigorously tested at the stadium and now only requires the annual Congress, which takes place in Derry next month, to rubber-stamp it’s implementation.
If it gets the green light there, it will pave the way for it to come into play by June 1st for the Leinster championship quarter-final double-header in Croke Park when Dublin face either Westmeath or Carlow while Kildare meet Offaly.
The system was trialled recently during the All-Ireland club intermediate and junior finals at the stadium and it is hoped it will help prevent some of the score controversies that have erupted in recent years at inter-county games.
GAA Director-General Paraic Duffy yesterday expressed his satisfaction with the system but revealed that for cost reasons it will only be brought in at Croke Park.
“We’re very comfortable where we are in terms of the technology and all that but the motion hasn’t been passed at Congress. If the motion is passed we’d expect it to be used for the first Championship game here officially.
“The first two years is limited to Croke Park so we’ll see after that. It’s expensive. Cost would be a huge factor and we’ll see how it goes first. As an aspiration you would like to (extend it to other stadiums) but it is expensive.”
Duffy also confirmed that the new system will be tailored for TV and that there will be scope for new marketing deals with the implementation of the system.
