An Ard Chomhairle meeting at Croke Park yesterday approved a new certification process for umpires. Under the proposals, which have been forwarded to the National Referees Committee for implementation by next year's Senior Championships, all umpires would receive revamped specialist training leading to certification and inclusion on an inter-county panel from which league and championship umpires will be selected. The same meeting also deferred plans to implement a new clock and hooter system on the grounds of cost and practical difficulties. Croke Park cited costs in the region of €250,000 approximately to implement the system and it will now not be trialled in league games in 2011. The matter will be revisited at Congress 2011.