Cian Lynch red card further proof refs require video assistance

Last weekend saw a thrilling finish to the Fitzgibbon Cup final. It looked like NUI Galway were home and hosed, certain to be crowned champions. Until the sending off.

For a while now, I have been a very strong advocate of at least examining the possibility of having video assistance for referees.

Some people don't like the sound of it, but just bear with me. It is very easy for us all to start giving out about linesman Sean Cleere and the wrong decision to send off Cian Lynch.

Sure we all had the luxury in seeing replays and slow-mos. Cleere made a split-second decision that obviously to his eyes looked like a strike or an attempted strike, and had to make a judgement call on what he saw.

I'm not backing Cleere up here. Trust me, if anyone was to have a beef with him it would be me. He sent me off a number of years ago in a league game, wrongly.

It was months before our paths crossed paths again and he came over and apologised to me. His umpire made the decision for him and it was only later he found out it was wrong, so he knows only too well what it's like to have to trust your officials.

And that’s what Fergal Horgan did, he trusted Sean Cleere. They all have to. Referees have only two eyes like us all. They have to try keep an eye on 30 lads, while staying up with the play. Trusting the officials that are with you is very important. Some may struggle to accept this, but referees are humans too. And again like us all, they make mistakes.

With all the technology that’s out there these days, why can't they have a bit of support? When I saw the incident live, I thought it didn’t look good. And within one replay, I knew what the decision should have been.

The fourth officials, rather then trying to be like security guards on the