It is well known that hurling is the fastest field sport in the world and it can be difficult for referees to make the right call in the heat of the moment, as Liam Sheedy well knows. 

Referees came under increased scrutiny after the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals over a number of key decisions. After the games, there were calls to provide more help for referees on the field.

Speaking to Maire Treasa Ni Cheallaigh on Off The Ball, Tipperary hurling manager Liam Sheedy said having more refs is not the solution.

"I don't think two referees is the answer, because ultimately you might have a different style of referring one end of the field versus the other.

"Ultimately, you want to ensure in any sport that the best team always wins. The referee has a role to play in terms of facilitating that," Sheedy said.

He fully understands how difficult it can be for them and he does trust their judgment.

"Listen, it's a tough job, the man in the middle probably has the toughest job of all.

"I have no doubt that James Owen will facilitate a really good final because there are two teams coming in hell-bent on playing hurling and playing up to a really high standard."

"Our game of hurling moves at a breakneck pace and how they keep up with it is beyond me," the 49-year-old said.

Incorrect decision 

At the end of the day, Sheedy said it's important that a game is not decided by a referring error.

"The players put in a massive, massive effort and you just want to ensure that the result is the right result in all instances and it hasn't hinged on an incorrect decision."

"That's where we have seen with hawk-eye, you now know the ball is either over the bar and if it's not over the bar you won't get the score," Sheedy stated.

While his main focus is on the All-Ireland final right now, he said he would like to see technology being used to facilitate referees in the future.

"I think let's see what the future brings but there might be opportunities to do some further tweaking down the line."

"That's not going to impact on 2019, James Owens is the man and I think it's in safe hands," the Tipperary manager concluded.

Subscribe to Off The Ball's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.