Gearóid Hegarty Warns GAA Against Introducing VAR as Limerick Star Says It Would Be a 'Bad Call'
Limerick hurling star Gearóid Hegarty has issued a forthright warning to the GAA against introducing video assistant referee technology into hurling, telling reporters he would "hate for anything drastic to come in" and that VAR has "ruined soccer" — comments that are likely to resonate widely within the GAA community as the association considers a range of technological innovations for the coming seasons.
Background
The question of technology in GAA officiating has been a recurring topic of debate for many years. Hawk-Eye, the ball-tracking technology used to adjudicate on disputed scores, was introduced to the GAA in 2013 under the presidency of Liam O'Neill — who passed away earlier this week — and has become an accepted and largely uncontroversial part of the game. The technology has been credited with eliminating a significant source of controversy from major championship matches, and its introduction is now widely regarded as a success.
The debate about whether to go further — introducing video review technology for other decisions, including foul play, off-the-ball incidents, and disputed scores in situations where Hawk-Eye is unavailable — has been more contentious. Proponents argue that technology can improve the accuracy of officiating and reduce the impact of human error on match outcomes. Critics, including Hegarty, argue that the pace and flow of hurling and Gaelic football are fundamentally incompatible with the kind of lengthy video reviews that have become a feature of soccer, rugby, and other sports that have adopted VAR or similar systems.
The experience of VAR in soccer has been particularly influential in shaping opinion within the GAA. The technology, introduced to the Premier League in 2019 and to other major competitions around the same time, has been the subject of sustained criticism from players, managers, and supporters who argue that it has disrupted the flow of the game, created confusion about the rules, and failed to deliver the consistency of decision-making that was promised.
Key Developments
Hegarty, speaking at a media event in Limerick on Friday, was unequivocal in his opposition to the introduction of VAR or similar technology into hurling. "I would hate for anything drastic to come in," he said. "Look at what it's done to soccer — it's ruined it. The game has lost its spontaneity, its flow. You score a goal and you can't celebrate because you're waiting to see if it's going to be ruled out for something that happened thirty seconds earlier. That's not what sport is about."
The Limerick midfielder, who has been one of the most influential players in the game over the past five years, acknowledged that officiating in hurling is not perfect and that mistakes are made. But he argued that the imperfection of human officiating is part of what makes sport compelling. "Referees make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes go against you," he said. "But that's part of the game. You deal with it and you move on. The moment you start stopping the game every five minutes to review decisions, you've lost something that you can never get back."
Hegarty's comments were made in the context of a broader discussion about the future of hurling, including the ongoing debate about the introduction of a sin bin for cynical fouling and the use of technology to assist referees in identifying off-the-ball incidents. The GAA's Games Development Committee is expected to present proposals on a range of officiating innovations to the annual congress in 2027.
Why It Matters
Hegarty's intervention in the VAR debate carries significant weight because of his standing within the game. As one of the most decorated hurlers of his generation — a multiple All-Ireland winner with Limerick and a consistent All-Star performer — his views on the future of the sport command respect across the GAA community. His comments also reflect a broader anxiety within the association about the risk of over-engineering a game that has thrived for generations on its pace, physicality, and the skill of its players. The GAA has always been cautious about technological innovation, and the experience of other sports with VAR has reinforced that caution. The challenge for the association is to find ways of improving the consistency and accuracy of officiating without sacrificing the qualities that make hurling one of the most exciting field sports in the world.
Local Impact
In Limerick, where hurling is a matter of intense civic pride, Hegarty's comments have been widely welcomed. The county has been the dominant force in hurling for the past decade, winning multiple All-Ireland titles under manager John Kiely, and its players are among the most respected voices in the game. The Limerick hurling community has been particularly vocal in its opposition to any changes that might alter the fundamental character of the sport, and Hegarty's intervention is consistent with that tradition. In clubs across the county — from Kilmallock and Doon in the east to Newcastle West and Adare in the west — the debate about VAR and other technological innovations is a live one, and Hegarty's views are likely to be widely shared.
What's Next
The GAA's Games Development Committee is expected to present its proposals on officiating innovations to the Central Council in the autumn, ahead of the annual congress in 2027. The committee has indicated that it will consult widely with players, managers, referees, and supporters before finalising its recommendations. Hegarty and other senior players are likely to be invited to contribute to that consultation process. The Limerick county championship resumes this weekend, with Kilmallock facing Doon in a highly anticipated fixture.
