Always a high chance of the games descending into a farce, no matter what the level
Excuse the typo 
Iām not sure what itās like in other counties but Iāve been at premier intermediate and intermediate matches this weekend where the ref was basically on his own - the linesman and umpires were from the clubs involved, so the ref had to call everything.
Very difficult to operate in an environment like that, especially in a tight game where every sideline ball and decision is contentious.
Probably not possible to have a full quota of 7 independent officials for every adult championship match so not really sure what can be done about it.
3 Likes
Just not a very good ref, in all honesty.
Who do ye think are the best refs around at the moment?
The Senior matches this weekend were reffed by Stapleton, Halloran, Hayes, Donnacha, Deady & Sexton.
Deccie OāDriscoll, Mike Moloney, JP & Sexton again did Premier.
Richie Moloney, Timmy, Trevor, Joe Mulcahy all did Intermediate, as well as Stapleton & OāDriscoll.
Doherty, Patsy, Mikey Browne, John Scully, Phelan, Mike Mann were all doing junior.
Seem to have lost a few refs recently- Jason OāMahony retired this year, Jason Mullins is gone a couple of years, you donāt hear much of Seamus Hayes, Mike Flannery, Philip Dee, Minogue anymore.
I heard that one was bizarre. two lads squirting water at each other and they were sent packing.
1 Like
Minogue wonāt be reffing ever again.
3 Likes
Hayes, Flannery and Dee would be regularly on the female side of things. Big fan of OāHalloran. AFAIK the Claughaun Pats game was done by Johnny Murphy. The pool is signifiaclty lowered youād suspect but also, it is only time that all officials were remunerated correctly. Why would a fella run up and down the line and get nothing or very little. If the money was right youād see alot more 3 men teams for these games. The money off the gate would take care of that in virtually all hurling games. Alot of the refs listed above at junior level have been around a fair time, superb service, even if we complain about them at times.
3 Likes
Itās a very tough job and Iād respect anyone who puts themselves forward for inevitable grief.
The standard of the best five or six refs is generally pretty good, and for the majority of the rest if your club gets them youād be happy enough also.
Thereās a couple in that list there, though, and your heart breaks when you see them down to cover you.
Not that they are biased, they are just liable to give any amount of crazy decisions - both for and against you.
Yeah, Iād have no issue with the money being increased tbh. Itās an awful job and most of them do it very well.
There are a handful of awful refs, but we have plenty of very decent ones too.
Halloran & Hayes are the top two for me but pretty much all the senior/Premier Intermediate ones mentioned, bar the obvious, are fine.
Thereās a few in the City division who only really do Junior B now who are actually fine. Seanie Carey, Mike Woulfe & Kevin OāBrien from the Well, all grand.
Good to see younger fellas like Deady & Moloney getting involved, and moving up the ranks very quickly.
Kiely is a space cadet should be left nowhere near a game.
4 Likes
Referee had no umpires with him at a championship match? Thatās criminal.
whatās the sentence?
Your sentence is having to watch Jonny Murphy act as Ref, Linesman & Umpire for 60 mins.
Jonathan Hayes is the best ref IMO, definitely in football anyway. He vocally gives the explanation for every decision, and itās usually correct
1 Like
I love a ref you can talk to respectfully. Whatās that for ref? Trip. Grand.
Some of them would tell you not to be questioning them
Most of the fuckers bring it up 10 yards for asking what it was for
He didnāt stand out when Pallas played Croagh anyway. Hit a couple of nice long range frees but nothing to indicate that he once played county.
1 Like
Thatās exactly the type of ref Kiely is. Heās constantly getting involved with players and Iāve no idea why. Seems very highly strung as an individual. In nearly all games Iāve seen him ref, heās brandished red cards. He loves confrontation.
OāHalloran did the Kerry County final and was miked up I think?
Now then, that was 8 years ago.