RTE & Ger Farragher's "wide" from last Sunday

[flairgun]

So here's an interesting thing:
I've linked 4 minutes in to this video, where Farragher takes the sideline and was given the point:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHP92f6fc68#t=4m00s

Whatever about the point being given, that's a separate issue, but listen carefully at the 4'25" mark where the commentator "edits" the audio, presumably for the highlights later.
Why does he feel the need to do this? Why not call it as he sees it and let it be known that the umpires got it wrong.
Is RTE the propaganda wing for GAA officials now?

[bracknaghboy]

Thats dreadful carryon from RTE. Why not call it as he seen it? Fair play to you for posting it. How can balls that clearly go wide (well outside the post wide) be called as points. It made no difference anyway because it it had been waved wide the the ref would have called fulltime bang on 72 minutes to ensure a draw and would not have allowed Dooley the late free to tie it up.

[bula bula]

I wonder is that normal practice. Shocking even if it is but would expect no less.

[Offaly2010]

Dreadful decision from the umpire,just shows though lads they needed that "point" to beat us! If that feckin umpire kept that flag down we wouldn't have to go to Portlaoise on Saturday evening and we could look forward to a Leinster Final showdown with the Cats on Sunday week.
Think we'll beat them this time lads,the players will be fired up after that performance in Croke Park last Sunday and I think the backs can hold Canning and co. and Dooley and co. can do the business up front and hopefully the 50-50 decisions will go our way this time!
Up the Faithful!

[flairgun]

Well, I think Bracknaghboy has it right, the ref probably wouldn't have given us the free at the end to win it if we were level, he would have blown up for the draw.

I'm more interested in why the commentator decided to redo the audio for editing in later in the manner he did. I'm not saying there's a conspiracy here or anything, probably just wanted to not have his confusion broadcast on-air. But he knew well it was wide, he should have stuck to his guns and said so. If he wanted to edit the audio, he didn't need to change the facts.

[the bare biffo]

I think this a bit of an overreaction. Unlike live commentary, the highlights are just reporting what actually happened and what actually happened is that a point was awarded to Galway. No issues with the broadcaster here.

[old yellar]

i happened to be looking at it. he called it wide then said something like oh!, then said he do a rerun for the commentary to his sound guy. dont think it over sinister or that. if you look at the webcasts it can happen as do long uncommentated minutes if the play is poor - depending on the commentator. i d say he thought it was wide then saw the lads flag it, and decided well i best call it as a point as maybe i was wrong and re did the sentence. am sure these "wides" happen in every game anyhow.. mikey sheehy was asked why he hit the ball so high when taking frees {as did dj sometimes} and he said well if the are high and hard to judge and the umpire has any doubt, he d say mikey doesent miss many and award the score!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Just Darren Frehill not believing the evidence of his own eyes! He would have been right behind the flight of the ball too.

i happened to be looking at it. he called it wide then said something like oh!, then said he do a rerun for the commentary to his sound guy. dont think it over sinister or that. if you look at the webcasts it can happen as do long uncommentated minutes if the play is poor - depending on the commentator. i d say he thought it was wide then saw the lads flag it, and decided well i best call it as a point as maybe i was wrong and re did the sentence. am sure these "wides" happen in every game anyhow.. mikey sheehy was asked why he hit the ball so high when taking frees {as did dj sometimes} and he said well if the are high and hard to judge and the umpire has any doubt, he d say mikey doesent miss many and award the score!

[biffoabroad]

I think this a bit of an overreaction. Unlike live commentary, the highlights are just reporting what actually happened and what actually happened is that a point was awarded to Galway. No issues with the broadcaster here.

I don't think there has been much of an overreaction to this in that it was omitted from the Sunday game and was briefly mentioned in some newspaper reports. To the point though of RTE reporting what actually happened, they failed to do this. What actually happened was that the ball flew wide and a point was flagged in error by the umpire. This is an error that has a direct implication on the scoreboard and should have been addressed on the Sunday game. I think the gripe here of some (and mine) is that they are selectively editing. Look at the amount of retrospective time and attention given to certain incidents of foul play i.e the Paul Galvin incident. The Sunday Game has decided to be a champion of the cause in off the ball incidents and foul play missed by referees. This is fine and even admirable. However, bad umpiring, wides given as points, point given as wides, umpires capitulating to goalkeeper/defender intimidation and a general see no evil policy is an issue that needs to be addressed. Countless times I have seen a ball float over the bar and it obvious to every person behind the goal only to look down at a bemused looking umpire (who obviously has lost concentration or flight of the ball) wondering what the eff to do and panicing into making a call based on...crowd GK reaction.

I think RTE would do well to start picking up on these umpiring faults, they weren't afraid to lay into referees at the start of the football championship. I think most regular patrons at GAA grounds realise that Umpiring in general is below standard and that the issue needs to be addressed. More bad "points" will be flagged this summer and more good points will be "waved" wide. The least that should be done is that these incidenta are highlighted as they occur so that the issue may be addressed if there is a regualr pattern of umpire error. The Sunday Game had a chance to raise this and didn't, I don't know why. It will be interesting to see if this happens later in the summer and the victims are Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp or Galway will it be shown on the Sunday game and a huge outcry.