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What we love about the GAA is its capacity to combine examples of brilliant professionalism with moments of sheer pathetic amateurism. The former are lauded by those of us that are true gaels as examples of all that is great about the association, in fact making it the best in the world. The latter the true gaels at the head of the organisation can sweep under the carpet with a high degree of insouciance. Disdain even.

Consider recent controversies. Joe Sheridan scores a goal that clearly should not have been allowed. Ben O’Connor clips over a vital point. It probably went wide. What is the GAA response? Christy Cooney, An Uachtarán extraordinaire dismisses the mere suggestion that video technology should be used.

‘”I’m totally opposed to it. It’s fine in rugby because it deals with whether a try takes place or not. Take last Saturday in Thurles, there was 31 scores. If we stop every time for 31 scores we’ll have breaks in our play.

“That’s not what our game is about. Our game is about continuity. Our game is about passion. Our game is about spills. It’s a totally different game and I’m not in favour of it.”

Now Christy, I don’t think people were suggesting that every possible score would come under scrutiny by the video ref. But surely the use of technology would have been better than the pathetic series of ‘who’s rightery rather than what’s rightery’ after the shambolic Leinster Final.

Typically it takes a Clare man to address these problems to seek a solution. Micheal Cusack after all was also from Clare.  He must be turning in his grave looking on at the bollix some of these fellas are making of his GAA 126 years on.

Yes the innovation we are talking about is happening as we speak in Scarrif in Clare where TESTS being carried out at Scariff GAA grounds in Clare could lead to the end of confusion over whether a point or a wide has been recorded in situations where umpires find it difficult to decide.

An upper-netting system on goalposts is being trialled in an attempt to devise a mechanism which makes a clear decision on which side of the post the ball has passed.

The brainchild of Michael McMahon from Tulla, the net was produced by Sportsworld Netting Ltd, Scariff. Since goalposts play a central role too, Goalpost Ireland of Tallow, Co Waterford. If you can imagine a large pair of Y Fronts strung taughtly between the two uprights to catch any wayward balls, you get the picture.

Of all the innovations that have hit the GAA in recent years it certainly promises to be the most unsightly and it may eliminate controversy, but surely video technology would be much simpler? Yes?