A 'Kilkenny GAA fan' was spotted attempting to recruit a ‘competent Hawk-Eye official’ at the home of cricket during England’s one-day international against India at Lords.
Well-known Irish bookmaker Paddy Power have since claimed responsibility for planting the individual, who wore the black and amber colours of Kilkenny, after he was spotted amongst the spectators at the London venue holding up a sign that read, “WANTED: COMPETENT HAWKEYE OFFICIAL. MUST BE AVAILABLE TO WORK THIS SUNDAY.”
This comes as Hawk-Eye’s use in this weekend’s All-Ireland senior hurling final remains in limbo after the system malfunctioned in last week’s opening football semi-final at Croke Park, where the technology judged a clear point from Galway’s Shane Walsh to have gone wide.
READ MORE: Inside John Kiely's life away from hurling: Wife Louise, young daughters and day job
The fiasco was labelled “an absolute joke” by pundit Pat Spillane, and earlier this week, former GAA President Sean Kelly urged the association to withhold money owed to the UK based operators following the clanger, claiming “the people operating it are not doing their job properly.”
In the meantime, the organisation is carrying out a full-blown review and investigation into the circumstances around the incident.
However, the system has functioned largely without issue for over a decade at Lords.
A spokesperson for Paddy Power said: “GAA fans are famed for popping up at random sporting occasions and hawk-eyed sports fans spotted our man in the crowd from a mile away after we infiltrated the Home of Cricket to have a bit of fun yesterday.
“But the integrity of results during sporting occasions is no joke and they are key to our customers' outcomes. While few could have predicted last weekend’s cock-up, an impressive chunk of our customers did.
“We had to resettle a significant number of bets on the draw at half-time, costing us a six-figure sum, so it’s in our interest to make every effort to ensure that the best of the best will be at the helm for Sunday’s hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny if the GAA retain their services.”
Meanwhile, Paddy Power make three-in-a-row chasing Limerick their 4/11 favourites to lift the trophy this season while Brian Cody’s men are available at 2/1 to add to their record-breaking tally of 36 titles.
For the latest GAA odds, click here.
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