Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 5:00pm

The Gerry Buckley Column: After the ball is over

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I have to confess that I have waited almost 28 years to plagiarize the above headline, written by the inimitable Con Houlihan in his fabulous column in the now-defunct Evening Press. The Kerry writer was referring to the previous day's Leinster senior hurling final when All-Ireland champions Offaly were dethroned in those pre-Qualifier days courtesy of a Kilkenny goal where the sliotar appeared to have crossed the endline prior to the crucial goal strike. However, a wonderful new concept devised by three bright young Tipperary students may be a godsend to avoid future controversy in big hurling games.

Seven years before the aforementioned match, my fellow St. Finian's student Noel Boyle won the very prestigious Young Scientist of the Year award and I eventually fulfilled a promise made then to attend that exhibition, when I visited the RDS a couple of weeks ago. Let me state at the outset that I can just about use a no-frills mobile phone and that I could also empathise with Rosie Webster on Coronation Street recently when asked by her insurers as to the size of her car engine. "About the size of three handbags", was the immediate and genuine reply from the daughter of love rat mechanic Kevin. (I don't know a lot about handbags but you catch my drift, I hope!)

However, as a sports nut, I was instantly attracted to projects with even a tenuous sporting connection. I was, therefore, fascinated by the submission of second-year students Luke Brabazon (who answered my naïve questions with clarity and courtesy), Cian Hehir and Danny Freeman from Scoil Ruáin in Killenaule whose brief read: "To design and test a system which can detect and record the moment that a goal or a point is scored during a sports game." Luke then went on to graphically demonstrate the workings of his micro-chipped sliotar.

The lads started with a quote from one of their true amateur heroes, Eoin Kelly, star Tipperary hurler and All Star (I assume that megarich Thierry Henry was unavailable for comment). "Players and coaching staff put a lot of effort into preparing themselves for the big matches and it's really unfair for all of their hard work to go to waste because of incorrect umpiring decisions. Hopefully, systems like this would stamp out all unjust decisions." And so say all of us.

The young entrepreneurs continued: "Science and technology play an increasingly important role in everyday life. The GAA plays a central role in Irish culture. This project aims to merge science with the GAA through the use of technology to support match officials in hurling. Science technologies such as video replays and Hawk-Eye are increasing in popularity, primarily because of their potential to support the match officials in making correct decisions. The idea of a neutral and trustworthy scientific system, that match officials can refer to when in doubt, has a certain common sense appeal to it. However, the GAA haven't yet adopted such technologies. This project sets about deepening our understanding of the potential role that such monitoring technologies could play in hurling games. Following interviews with key hurling personnel - players, coaches and officials - our project reviews the Hawk-Eye system which has become so popular in tennis and the video system used in rugby. This project then tests and develops a system of monitoring if a goal should be awarded or not by use of a radar system. We then look at the potential and limitations of using radar to support the hurling officials.

"Recognising that this is a small scale, introductory study which looks at the possible merger of science and GAA, the results, nonetheless, are extremely encouraging. The overall conclusion from this study is that the GAA are anxious to implement technologies to support their match officials. The radar system developed in this study would not be sufficiently accurate to meet the demands of hurling. However, it is an interesting first step. This study challenges the science/technology community to respond to this opportunity and to further develop the technology in our project which would see science play a central role in the very essence of the Irish culture - the GAA."

The officials referred to include former Westmeath GAA County Board PRO, Patrick Doherty, now a highly-respected administrative figure in Croke Park. The three lads got enormous help with their project from two of their teachers, Ms Leah McNamara (who was courtesy personified to this columnist recently over the phone ) and Mr Flavian O'Keeffe. Much to my dismay, I hear that the project did not win a prize in the RDS, but I imagine the young whizzkids will hear in time from innovative companies who will see the great benefits of the lads' findings.

For many of us who find cheating in sport an absolute abhorrence, it will be difficult to watch Thierry Henry strut his stuff in South Africa this summer. The clamour for technology to be introduced into the multi-billion pound sport of soccer has increased since the Barcelona man's antics ('handtics?) in Paris on 18 November last. The video referee works wonderfully well in rugby. Indeed, this cheeky columnist amused no less a persona that Brian O'Driscoll by signalling the match referee's TV gesture, questioning whether the magnificent Irish captain grounded his Credit Union pass book in the current ad on our screens! Hawk-Eye has prevented many a "you can not be serious" tantrum in big tennis matches. I am also told that cricket is benefiting from the use of technology. (I have often been 'dared' to try a cricket column some week, but I simply don't know enough about the sport. And, yes, many readers will say that hasn't stopped me waffling on about 20 plus sports over the past seven years!)

I am glad the three young Tipp entrepreneurs were not in my car last month as I left my daughter and three of her Kilkenny friends from college to the airport. One girl spoke of a lad she knew from the Premier County in patronising tones: "Do you know, they think they can hurl in Tipp!" September may well give Liam Sheedy the ultimate pleasure of stopping Cody's Cats from an unprecedented five-in-a-row. As a neutral, all I can hope is that whoever wins the Liam McCarthy Cup in 2010 will do so with fair decisions from the officials - don't mention the war or the 2009 penalty! And if in doubt, call on Luke, Cian and Danny in Killenaule.