Former referee Rory Hickey has called for a TMO to be introduced into Gaelic games in the wake of the Eoghan McLaughlin injury on Saturday evening.
The Mayo half-back had to undergo surgery on his jaw after shipping the attempted tackle from Dublin's half-back John Small. As such it's very likely that he won't be available for next month's All-Ireland final against either Tyrone or Kerry.
Referee Conor Lane didn't award a free and his refusal to stop the game for the head injury drew anger from the Mayo players, as well as their manager James Horan on the sideline.
On The Sunday Game Colm Cooper said it was "100%" a red-card offence, while Oisin McConville said it had been a "mistake" not to stop the game for the "serious head injury".
Hickey, who retired from inter-county officiating three years ago, agreed with the pair's assessment, but he defended Lane, and argued that technology has to be used to assist referees.
"I thought he did well bar the one obvious call," he said on RTÉ's Game On.
"I really felt for him. It's split second stuff. There's been a lot of talk about TMOs and fourth officials... if he had a chance to look at that one more time.
"What nearly looked like a perfect shoulder ended up with a double jaw break for the poor Mayo player and he'll miss the All-Ireland. Conor did well. He's an experienced referee with three All-Irelands under his belt - an experienced guy.
"But that was a tough game to referee. I was sitting watching it thinking, 'I'm kinda glad I'm retired!'
"During my time knocking around Hawkeye came into being. I remember thinking that technology had really advanced the first day I used it. Now it's seamless, it's accepted at every game, there's no debate about scores.
"Once I retired I thought in the time since that they'd move towards a TMO. For me, with the amount of technology and cameras that are there, I really think that they should move towards a TMO.
"It would mean a referee can be ask if he's missed something in a game and a retired referee can be sitting watching the game with every angle available to him. The man in the stand can stop the play and give the referee advice."
The Sunday Game panel discuss Small's challenge on McLaughlin
In terms of implementing the use of a video referee, Hickey acknowledges that it couldn't be used in every game, but he's hopeful that it could be available in the latter stages of the inter-county season.
"We're not talking about the first round of the National League, having TMOs moving around the country," he points out.
"But for the latter end of the championship, maybe from provincial finals on right up to All-Ireland finals, this would really help referees.
"They've enough to be doing. There's one guy in the middle of the the field trying to watch 30 guys, and they went at it hot and heavy over the weekend, Mayo and Dublin.
"The technology is there, the people are there - the guys at the top really need to have a look at this.
"The captains should have three times in a game where they can ask a referee to take a look at an incident."
