GAA chief admits lesson learned from scoreboard error with change implemented for All-Ireland hurling final
Stoppage time between Tipperary and Kilkenny was effected by
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On 70 minutes a wide by Noel McGrath was incorrectly marked down as a point by the scoreboard operators
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Eoin Cody clearly eschewed an easy point thinking that he had to go for goal
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A goal-line block by Robert Doyle was critical in securing Tipp's two-point win
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Smyth, far left, was speaking at the launch of GAA Refwell, a new wellness and support programme for Gaelic games referees
Despite referee James Owens correctly maintaining the correct scoreline in his handbook, it was plain to see that Kilkenny and Tipperary players were working off the scoreboard at GAA headquarters.
It marred the ending of a brilliant game and
If John Donnelly's last-gasp shot had found the net and the full-time whistle had then been blown, it would've slowly dawned on everyone that the Cats had in fact won by a point rather than only levelling things and sending the contest to extra-time.
Speaking to
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He reflected: "It was a mixture of stuff. The time of the game probably didn't help.
"So at 69 minutes we had a Kilkenny sub, at 70 minutes the ball went wide, we had a Tipperary sub at the same time.
"We didn't notice the scoreboard had changed in relation to that (Noel McGrath's wide which was recorded as a point).
"Then the difficulty is we didn't get a break in play to stop the game to check the thing. We've changed our processes last week and our protocols around that, so it's something we just have to work on."
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The confusion appeared to arise from one of the two umpires reaching up to catch the sliotar as it drifted wide whilst his peer signalled it was a wide ball.
When quizzed on how such a misunderstanding can be avoided, Smyth emphasized that stricter procedures shall prevent such potentially game-changing errors from cropping up again.
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He added: "You prevent it by tightening up your procedures.
"And, as I say, we're on the sideline there, how we communicate to the scoreboard and then what we do afterwards, how do we communicate out?
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"So there's lots of things when we looked at it afterwards that we just have to tighten up.
"Look, we're talking about refereeing here but we could be talking about anything, we could be talking about players - if we get the basics right, the other things will follow.
"When you're playing in goals, for example, you have to catch the ball, you have to kick the ball, you have to hold the ball.
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"With refereeing, you make decisions, you apply the rules, you have to re-emphasise the basics. Look, there were mistakes made on that day so we just have to ensure that our protocols are working."
Liam Gordon
Meanwhile Premier boss Liam Cahill has
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