CCCC warned GAA about 'reputational damage' caused by clock-hooter issues

The GAA’s national fixtures body warned the association risked facing “reputational damage” because of clock-hooter issues prior to Sunday’s controversial ending in Mullingar.

Meath won their Division 2 derby with a Conor Duke goal that Westmeath manager Dermot McCabe claimed was struck and scored after the siren was sounded in TEG Cusack Park.

"I would have felt that the rule is the rule, when the hooter goes on 70 and you score it on 70:03, then it's not a goal,” said McCabe who also questioned the quality of the technology in the venue.

Central Council voted last month to stick with the system, which was proposed by the Football Review Committee (FRC) and voted in at last November’s Special Congress. The FRC are due to discuss it at a meeting on Monday.

In correspondence to Central Council last month, the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) highlighted there was uncertainty about the conclusion of halves in the Dublin-Mayo game in Croke Park in January and last month’s Armagh-Tyrone fixture in Box-It Athletic Grounds.

In Armagh city, referee Joe McQuillan called half-time as there was no hooter but did so just as Tyrone had a penalty claim. The TV clock was also ahead of the official one in confirming full-time.

“In both games there was confusion over whether an action had taken place before or after the hooter sounded,” wrote CCCC chairman Brian Carroll and director of club, player and games administration Feargal McGill.

The CCCC suggest that play be allowed after the hooter until the ball goes out of play.

“It remains the view of the CCCC that in order to avoid reputational damage further down the line, games should end once the ball goes dead AFTER the hooter or final whistle has sounded.”

They added that the referee would then signal the end of playing time by calling for the hooter to sound with the concession of a 45 being an exception as the attacking team would be allowed to take the kick but have to score directly from it.

In the event a player ending a game by kicking the ball over a sideline was considered “unsightly”, they advised full-time might only be called with a score or a wide.

The CCCC stated that if such a protocol was agreed, the hooter could be dispensed with thus saving the GAA money on the technology currently being used in Division 1 and 2. The public clock would still be in operation and full-time would simply be announced on the ball going dead.

They also revealed the power cut in the Box-It Athletic Grounds for the Armagh-Tyrone game last month impacted the public clock in the stadium. Players, managers and spectators was not aware of the time played or that remaining. However, that did not apply for TV viewers who were unaffected.

To mitigate similar situations in the future, the CCCC believe referees should continue to keep time separately or in conjunction with the game clock.

As reported by the Irish Examiner last week, the body estimate it will cost the GAA an immediate €250,000 for installation of the clock/hooter across the island, roughly €7,000 per ground.

The outlay includes site visits and assessments, labour and mileage, control board replacements, hooter installations and public announcement system-associated expenditure.

The CCCC stated it is essential modifications are made to existing clocks to allow for broadcast synchronisation so that the stadium and TV/streaming clocks run on the same time.

“Technicians on the ground will incur additional cost (circa €500 per game average) and CCCC would be recommending these are in place for provincial championship and Sam Maguire Cup qualifier games at a minimum.”

An additional match official is also required. The CCCC continued: “If we assume the new time system should/will eventually apply to hurling, then those costs will eventually double (estimate expenses cost of an additional €5,000 on a double Allianz League weekend for fifth officials).”

The CCCC stressed if the clock/hooter is to be operational for all senior football championship games, the GAA “cannot hold off any longer on making the necessary spend…” They added: “We will require to train circa 40-50 fifth officials immediately.” Failing that, the CCCC outlined a number of alternatives such as the clock system only being operational for live TV games or those fixtures at the business end of the championship.

They also gave the option of reverting to the previous time-keeping protocols as administered by the referee and postponing a decision on the clock/hooter until Special Congress on October 4.

Roscommon and Westmeath were among the counties who shared the CCCC’s concerns with the system. On Sunday, Meath manager Robbie Brennan claimed the use of it was in doubt up to throw-in in Mullingar.

“At the start of the match there was a hooter, then there wasn’t a clock, then the clock wasn’t working, then it was working. It’s a mess like, it’s a mess.”

A fourth-straight win for Meath, they are top of Division 2 with Monaghan and Roscommon. However, it marked a fifth-consecutive loss for Westmeath who are facing relegation and possibly missing out on the Sam Maguire Cup.

Click here to read article