Limerick continue fight for minor replay with Galway

LIMERICK County Board officials were to go before the Central Appeals Committee last night (Monday) in their continuing efforts to overturn the county’s All-Ireland minor hurling semi-final extra-time defeat to Galway.

The Munster champions had already registered an objection to the result to the Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) – on the grounds that a legitimate point was called as ‘a miss’ by Hawk-Eye in normal time – but this was dismissed by the CCCC last Thursday.

However, Limerick PRO Eamonn Phelan told Sentinel Sport yesterday (Monday) that they were determined to go all the way with their appeal, adding that they had expected the CCCC to rule in such a manner last week.

“The CCCC couldn’t really give a decision on it so we were expecting that. As I said, though, we are willing to go all the way. We have young fellows here, and their parents, and they are gutted.”

The whole controversy surrounds a point by Barry Nash in the opening half which was deemed ‘a miss’ by Hawk-Eye although it was evident in the graphics that the sliotar had passed between the posts.

It was later admitted by Hawk-Eye that the fault with the technology was due to a human error, in which the dimensions for a football were inputted instead of a sliotar, so leading to the discrepancy.

Representatives from Limerick County Board, believed to include the Chairman and Secretary, were to meet the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) at Croke Park yesterday evening to fight their case. “We are committed to this, to going all the way,” said Phelan, who acknowledged it was an “unfortunate episode” for all concerned.

Should the CAC dismiss their objection, then the Limerick County Board will take their case to the Dispute Resolution Authority (DRA). Galway won the semi-final 0-23 to 0-20 in extra-time after the sides finished level at 0-16 apiece after 60 minutes.