Who'd be a referee?

[Denn Forever]

Cavan referee Brian Crowe has expressed his disappointment at the reaction to John Bannon's decision to overlook John Miskella's indiscretion in Cork's All-Ireland semi-final win over Tyrone.

Bannon decided against upgrading Miskella's yellow card to a red on reviewing a video tape of the player striking out at Brian McGuigan, and while the decision received mixed reviews, the retiring Longford official didn't have to endure the same criticism or suffer the same consequences as Crowe did when he was caught up in a similar controversy in the 2007 All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Meath.

Crowe was asked to review footage of an incident involving Noel O'Leary and Graham Geraghty, and like Bannon, decided against upgrading O'Leary's yellow card to a red, which meant that he didn't miss the All-Ireland final against Kerry.

Since then, Crowe has been overlooked for all the major matches and is still angry at the manner in which he was hung out to dry.

"Even the dogs in the street know it was the end for me as regards big matches," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"You only have to look at the handful of games I subsequently got.

"John Bannon's stepping down from refereeing now and he won't suffer the fate that befell me.

"Basically what I was being asked to do was put a player out of an All Ireland final, but as far as I was concerned the offence didn't merit anything more than a yellow card.

"Ultimately I was the one that suffered. This is my final year of refereeing at national level.

"To be truthful in the light of all that's happened I'm glad to be finishing up."

The 2006 All-Ireland final referee added: "I've nothing left to prove to anyone, but I will continue to referee at juvenile, minor and senior and whatever here in my own county and will still be available to the Ulster Council for all championship matches.

"I've always felt comfortable working with good people in my own province."


Does he have a point?

[orangeman]

Cavan referee Brian Crowe has expressed his disappointment at the reaction to John Bannon's decision to overlook John Miskella's indiscretion in Cork's All-Ireland semi-final win over Tyrone.

Bannon decided against upgrading Miskella's yellow card to a red on reviewing a video tape of the player striking out at Brian McGuigan, and while the decision received mixed reviews, the retiring Longford official didn't have to endure the same criticism or suffer the same consequences as Crowe did when he was caught up in a similar controversy in the 2007 All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Meath.

Crowe was asked to review footage of an incident involving Noel O'Leary and Graham Geraghty, and like Bannon, decided against upgrading O'Leary's yellow card to a red, which meant that he didn't miss the All-Ireland final against Kerry.

Since then, Crowe has been overlooked for all the major matches and is still angry at the manner in which he was hung out to dry.

"Even the dogs in the street know it was the end for me as regards big matches," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"You only have to look at the handful of games I subsequently got.

"John Bannon's stepping down from refereeing now and he won't suffer the fate that befell me.

"Basically what I was being asked to do was put a player out of an All Ireland final, but as far as I was concerned the offence didn't merit anything more than a yellow card.

"Ultimately I was the one that suffered. This is my final year of refereeing at national level.

"To be truthful in the light of all that's happened I'm glad to be finishing up."

The 2006 All-Ireland final referee added: "I've nothing left to prove to anyone, but I will continue to referee at juvenile, minor and senior and whatever here in my own county and will still be available to the Ulster Council for all championship matches.

"I've always felt comfortable working with good people in my own province."
Does he have a point?

Got a nice dig in there at the end.


Crowe WAS shafted after refusing to upgrade the Noel O'Leary incident. Funny it was Cork then as well. Crowe has been blackballed ever since and obviusly firlmy believes thathad he done "the right thing" that he'd have been getting more matches after it. Rewards are there for those who obey. Crowe got the opposite treatment. He was taken out of circulation after it. Naughty boy.

[longrunsthefox]

It is cowardly coping out of these decisions because they fear the backlash for a player losing out on an All Ireland final but for the same offence would have penalised them in May or June. If the refs don't like the heat etc... or else the GAA should have an All Ireland final amnesty if the ban is one month or less. 

[cadhlancian]

Again, bottom line is the referee didn't act accordingly in either instance, However with Bannon this isn't gonna matter one bit as he is retiring. John Miskella should have been suspended , end off, the umpire  should have kept his arm down, or else he could only have told Bannon , what a million other people saw, a CLEAR, CLEAN AS A WHISTLE strike. Unlike someother offenses ( high tackles etc), there is no MANOUEVREBILITY ON THIS RULE ,,,,red card!
Thing is,, should this discision have been taken from him?

[orangeman]

Again, bottom line is the referee didn't act accordingly in either instance, However with Bannon this isn't gonna matter one bit as he is retiring. John Miskella should have been suspended , end off, the umpire  should have kept his arm down, or else he could only have told Bannon , what a million other people saw, a CLEAR, CLEAN AS A WHISTLE strike. Unlike someother offenses ( high tackles etc), there is no MANOUEVREBILITY ON THIS RULE ,,,,red card!
Thing is,, should this discision have been taken from him?

[/b]

Where would that end ? Where do you draw the line ?.

[cadhlancian]

Again, bottom line is the referee didn't act accordingly in either instance, However with Bannon this isn't gonna matter one bit as he is retiring. John Miskella should have been suspended , end off, the umpire  should have kept his arm down, or else he could only have told Bannon , what a million other people saw, a CLEAR, CLEAN AS A WHISTLE strike. Unlike someother offenses ( high tackles etc), there is no MANOUEVREBILITY ON THIS RULE ,,,,red card!
Thing is,, should this discision have been taken from him?

[/b]

Where would that end ? Where do you draw the line ?.

exactly, thats my point,, the GAA has fuccked themselves with this

[magpie seanie]

Tis a murky, murky business and if you don't do what you are told.....

[Sandino]

John Gough enforced the rules of the game as they stood back then. People complained about it for years, he didnt ref many games after that either. There are to many unwritten rules in the GAA.

[tonesfirstandlast]

He should count himself lucky to have got the amount of big games that he got, especially an All- Ierland final! There were numerous better referees than him that never even got a county game. He was always overweight and struggled to keep up with the game and controversy always followed him. He caused us an Ulster club final and Crossmaglen went on to win their first all -ireland as a result and he stood beside Francie Bellew in last years ulster club and watched him head butting and did nothing.
Glad to see the back of him.

[Diet Coke]

He should count himself lucky to have got the amount of big games that he got, especially an All- Ierland final! There were numerous better referees than him that never even got a county game. He was always overweight and struggled to keep up with the game and controversy always followed him. He caused us an Ulster club final and Crossmaglen went on to win their first all -ireland as a result and he stood beside Francie Bellew in last years ulster club and watched him head butting and did nothing.
Glad to see the back of him.
[/quote

Probably too busy combing his moustache....always carried the comb down  his sock