This month marks a decade since 'Tá/Point' and ‘Níl/Miss’ were added to the GAA’s lexicon as Hawk-Eye became a fixture at Croke Park.
First unveiled to the press in May 2013, it was originally handed a two-year trial run at headquarters as well as being handed a spot at Semple Stadium in Thurles in 2016 before a temporary presence at Páirc Uí Chaoimh the following year.
The GAA had originally hoped for a 2012 start with a number of contentious calls raising the pressure, including a Colm Cooper effort that looked like a point in a 3-10 to 1-15 Allianz Football League loss to Dublin the year before.
"It’s another notch in the bow for technology," said Jack O’Connor, then in the second of his three terms as Kingdom boss.
The 2012 drawn All-Ireland SHC final also saw Richie Power’s shot waved wide by one umpire and awarded as a point by the other in Kilkenny’s drawn encounter with Galway. Referee Barry Kelly decided it was a score with the Cats winning the replay.
After the the GAA's Coiste Bainistí requested a feasibility study, the 2013 Congress in Derry saw the trial period being given the green light before it was made a permanent fixture at Croke Park two years later with 98% of delegates agreeing that it should be rolled out to other grounds too.
The first championship game to use it was the Leinster football encounter between Kildare and Offaly on 1 June, 2013 with Warwickshire and Longford the first hurling counties involved a week later.
Quizzers should note the name of Offaly’s Peter Cunningham. He was the first player to have a shot decided by Hawk-Eye and unfortunately for him it was a ‘Níl’, or ‘Miss’ as the graphic said in the early days.
Warwickshire’s Sean Hennessy was also off target a week later in the Lory Meagher Cup final – the first hurler to try out the technology – but it mattered little as they were far too good for Longford.
A decade on, Hawk-Eye has become a stable of big GAA games and has been widely welcomed given its simplistic nature compared to the likes of football’s VAR system.
However, the 10 years have provided moments of real controversy too, and here are some of the most memorable ones:
An apology to the Treaty
The Hawk-Eye company released an apology to the Limerick minor hurlers after it ruled out an early Barry Nash effort that was clearly a score in their 2013 All-Ireland semi-final with Galway. The Connacht side would go on to beat them in extra-time, making the pill even bitterer.
The technology was stood down for the second half of the game and the senior semi-final between Clare and Limerick.
Limerick appealed the decision and went all the way to the Disputes Resolution Authority, but they were unsuccessful with Galway losing to Waterford in the final.
Then GAA President Liam O'Neill would also apologise at a function in Limerick the following year after then county chairperson Oliver Mann had spoken about the lack of one in his 2013 annual convention report.
A four-point swing
The 2019 All-Ireland SHC semi-final between Tipperary and Wexford contained a real contentious moment.
The clock read 30:43 when Tipperary goalkeeper Brian Hogan plucked Lee Chin’s free from above the bar and 26 seconds later John McGrath had scored a goal at the other end.
Immediately though, referee Seán Cleere signalled for Hawk-Eye and it was ruled that Hogan's hand was behind the bar when catching the earlier attempt at the Hill 16 end.
Tipperary thought they had moved level with Wexford, but in an instance they were four points down.
The fact that the Premier County went on to triumph lessened the controversy, and it could be argued that this was a good example of Hawk-Eye working, even if there was a delay.
Altering the scoreboard
In Galway’s 2022 semi-final clash with Derry at Croke Park, Shane Walsh had a ‘45’ ruled out by Hawk-Eye at the end of the first half before referee Brendan Cawley came out and awarded it before the second half threw in.
A GAA report found the mistake was down to "minor hardware failures" and although stood down for the other semi-final involving Kerry and Dublin, it was used in the final as Jack O’Connor’s side defeated the Tribesmen.
Is there a problem with HawkEye? Shane Walsh's free late in the half was deemed wide by the technology at Croke Park, but the replay would suggest otherwise
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 9, 2022
📱 https://t.co/AhGH0dO2Ff
📺 https://t.co/ced90fBubg
📻 https://t.co/2SRRKdgjzu pic.twitter.com/NAimqXO9P2
Derry also had an issue with a first-half effort from Conor Glass ruled out. The GAA, however, said that the system was working correctly at the Davin End as a wide will be awarded if any part of the ball touches the artificial woodwork above the height of the post.
Data unavailable
Laughter broke out around Croke Park during the Leinster championship match between Dublin and Galway last month as Dublin's Cian O’Sullivan had a shot at goal in the first half.
After a long pause, fans were greeted with the message of 'Hawkeye data unavailable’ and the score didn’t stand.
Given that the match finished a draw, it was a fairly big call.
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Watch a provincial hurling final double-header on Sunday, Limerick v Clare (1.45pm) and Kilkenny v Galway (4pm), follow a live blog on all matches on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to updates throughout the day on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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