Ger Brennan calls for VAR-style technology for Gaelic football after Kerry loss
The Dublin manager was unhappy with a number of decisions that went against his side in the All-Ireland semi-final
Ger Brennan has called for the VAR-style review system to be introduced to Gaelic football after his Dubs side were on the wrong end of a number of controversial decisions in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to Kerry.
The Dubs were left seething in the opening minutes of the game when Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne was deemed to have fouled Joe O’Connor inside the penalty area, with referee Brendan Cawley pointing to the spot much to the annoyance of the Hill-16 faithful. David Clifford stepped up and found the back of the net at the second time of asking following a fine Evan Comerford stop.
Brennan also took issue with a lack of a square ball call on Sean O’Brien’s freak 44th minute goal, a three-pointer that brought Kerry level moments after the Dubs had missed a glorious goal chance themselves to move six clear, and the decision not to award the Dubs a goal when Ross McGarry’s palmed effort appeared on some TV replays to have crossed the line before Mike Breen scrambled it away left the Dubs boss bemused.
Brennan acknowledged that the new rules make refereeing a very difficult task before saying: “Video assistant technology has to come into play for key decisions, because there were obviously three key decisions, or a couple of decisions, more than that, that didn't go our way today.
“And if the officials had an opportunity to have just a quick look, take 30 seconds out, stop the clock, those decisions would have gone in a different direction.”
On the three incidents in question, Brennan said: “Alex Gavin was putting a bit of heat on Joe O’Connor and forced him to turn into Peadar, and Peadar has his hands by his sides and takes the contact on the chest and it’s a penalty, so that was a poor decision.
“The second goal, it was a square ball with Sean O’Brien. It’s not my opinion. You can certainly chat about the penalty one, alright you could debate that, but certainly the second one was a square ball, that’s not my opinion, that’s just a fact.
“Then well done to Shane Murphy, he had a fine game and made two great saves, but having had a chance to look back at the video footage there, it was a goal for us as well. And referees need assistance because so much happened, really, so much happened.”
