GAA president Liam O'Neill has apologised for the Hawk-Eye error that denied a valid point to the Limerick minor hurlers in last August's All-Ireland semi-final against Galway.
The score by Barry Nash early in the match was ruled out because there had been an error setting the co-ordinates for the score detection system in CrokePark. Although Limerick were awarded a late free to tie up the match, Galway went on to win in extra time.
Speaking at a medal presentation ceremony in the county last night and as reported in the Limerick Leader newspaper, the president raised the subject, which caused a great deal of anger at the time after objections, appeals and arbitration by the Disputes Resolution Authority failed to yield any remedy.
“I want to mention the All-Ireland semi-final. I do want to acknowledge here tonight that Barry Nash got a point that day that should have been awarded to him. I do regret it and we do apologise for it and we are deeply sorry for it. It’s not easy to have to say it but that’s the way it is,” he said to applause.
“I must say – and it’s not easy to stand here and say that it’s a source of huge regret to us that it worked out the way it did – we went to enormous bother to get Hawk-Eye. Quite frankly we spent a fortune on it to get things right for players, just so what happened that day wouldn’t happen.
“It shouldn’t have happened. The person didn’t configure it right and it’s a source of huge regret to us and a source of huge regret to me personally that it happened to this Limerick team.
"I do want to acknowledge that Brian Ryan (Limerick minor manager) could have made things awkward for me here tonight. In fact most speakers could have mentioned it and that's why I wanted to mention it now and say that it was awful that is happened and it would be our wish that that sort of things would never ever happen again and we hope it won't."
Limerick county chair Oliver Mann, who during his address to last year's annual convention had made reference to the lack of an apology from CrokePark declared the matter closed.
“I would like to acknowledge the comments of Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael Liam O’Neill surrounding the Barry Nash-Hawk-Eye point in Croke Park and I really appreciate Liam coming here tonight and saying what he did. As far as Limerick county board is concerned that particular episode is now well and truly finished and I would like to thank Liam O’Neill for putting his end to that tonight”.
