sport
Share icon

Share

Hurling’s Mecca will not be the only new field opened to Hawk-Eye this summer

Published 16:55 19 Apr 2016 BST

Mikey Stafford
Hurling’s Mecca will not be the only new field opened to Hawk-Eye this summer

Homesport

Thurles AND the green fields of France... it promises to be a busy summer for Hawk-Eye.

The score detection system, already in use in the Premier League, Serie A and the Bundesliga, as well as Croke Park, has been selected by UEFA to be the goal-line technology (GLT) provider for Euro 2016. It will be the first time goal-line technology will be used at the European Championships and the UK company beat off competition from the German firm Goal Control, who provided a similar service at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Installed in Croke Park three years ago, Hawk-Eye has been trialled in Semple Stadium since the beginning of the year and is set to go "live" in time for the May 22nd Munster SHC quarter-final between Tipperary and Cork. The system has been largely a success in Gaelic games, apart from one controversial incident in 2013, when Limerick minor hurler Barry Nash was denied a valid point in an All-Ireland semi-final after the operator failed to correctly adjust the system for hurling. Hawk-Eye thought Nash's sliotar was a football and incorrectly deemed his shot to be wide. Galway went on to win the match in extra-time. At least that is not a concern at the Euros!