Are referees ruining our games?

[Main Street]

In fairness to the refs what is a tackle? It's about as clear as a puddle on mud

That's a trick Q.
To go back to the much criticized refs performance at Parnell Park, Dubs V Monaghan.

There was an incident in the 2nd half where the great Shane Ryan got the ball near the sideline, he turned his 2 markers brilliantly but a very small shirt pull forced his 2 feet over the line, he hit the ball to 2 Dubs in space. The ref blew for the free kick even though I don't know if the ball was over the line. Ryan took it himself and found the same Dublin player in much more space. Dublin got a good point after a few passes.
Too often good reffing gets ignored. But I can expect that you will retort that it was easy to ignore one good in the face of 20 perceived bad ones.

[pedro]

Sligonian, trust me, I'm delighted we won despite us playing poorly and Sligo putting us under serious pressure. From what I have seen, Sligo shouldn't be in the position they are in. And, even though I believe, the ref favoured Sligo, yous were unlucky with the added time, again the referees fault.

But it really annoys me how bad the standard of refereeing is at the minute. I know they have a tough job etc. etc. but can we not expect an, at the very least, impartial ref?

Another thing, is it not a bit unfair to have a Down ref refereeing the game when Down are in our league? Especially when the game was a must-win game for both teams.

[SLIGONIAN]

I take your points Pedro and really I do understand your frustrations. Down ref alright is a crazy selection but I have seen worse thats all. We had mayo ref against wexford who was disater for both teams. Ruined entertainment value of the game. Imagine we get leitirm ref for longford game,, joke and i know wont happen.

What the solution? Ex players etc the GAA just seem to let this pass by every year. Usually improves in Summer oddly but something has to be done. Lets start with taking the TIME KEEPING from the refs. . The ladies GAA are one step ahead on that one.

[magpie seanie]

To my mind the standard of refereeing is quite bad across the board. I think Uladh has a good point and its something I've noticed myself. It appears to me that refs are out to discourage physicality and by this I mean that the refs who do this tend to be the ones who get the big games etc. Its destroying the game. There seem to be marks awarded for giving tickings, bookings etc and moving the ball forward.

[Louth Exile]

The ref yesterday was bad, but I have definitely seen worse. To try and play devils advocate, I will say that it wasn't the easiest game to referee. Not that it was dirty or over physical, but it was one of the scrappiest games I have been to in a long time, with multiple bodies trying to get in at the ball at the one time. This didn't help things. He wasn't that bad in the first half either, it was in the second half (when Sligo were time wasting and Louth were getting very frustrated by their own poor play, both on and off the field) where he was poorest. He should have clamped down on the time wasting and didn't, I feel that 4/5 mins stoppage time was well justified. I feel that Paddy Kennan's sending off was harsh and very much a letter of the law job. He didn't help the flow of the game (and the standard was poor anyway!)

I watched three games at the weekend and in every one of them there was at least one blatant bad call:
- Watched the first half of the Monaghan Cork game: about five mins into the game, the TV cameras clearly picked up Michael Cussen coming across one of the Mones (I think) with an elbow and decking him. Hard to see how all officials missed it, but they did and went unpunished.
- Went down the town for the second half of the Armagh Meath game: about half way through the second half, long ball dropped on the Armagh square. It was clear as the nose on your face that Hearty made no attempt to play the ball, but simply took out Joe Sheridan. Nailed on penalty in my book, nothing awarded
- Louth Sligo game yesterday: Sligo centre half coming through with the ball, jumped as he charged with the ball, no free given, ends being a free to Sligo instead, baffling!!

I will acknowledge that the refs have a tough job and I am not man enough to do it myself. It is a thankless job and I am not surprised that it is difficult to get intelligent refs, some of the ones out there are just gobshites.

The worst display of refereeing I have ever seen at any level came from John Bannon and the best ref in the country for a number of years (IMO) has been Pat Mc Eneaney

[orangeman]

The ref yesterday was bad, but I have definitely seen worse. To try and play devils advocate, I will say that it wasn't the easiest game to referee. Not that it was dirty or over physical, but it was one of the scrappiest games I have been to in a long time, with multiple bodies trying to get in at the ball at the one time. This didn't help things. He wasn't that bad in the first half either, it was in the second half (when Sligo were time wasting and Louth were getting very frustrated by their own poor play, both on and off the field) where he was poorest. He should have clamped down on the time wasting and didn't, I feel that 4/5 mins stoppage time was well justified. I feel that Paddy Kennan's sending off was harsh and very much a letter of the law job. He didn't help the flow of the game (and the standard was poor anyway!)

I watched three games at the weekend and in every one of them there was at least one blatant bad call:
- Watched the first half of the Monaghan Cork game: about five mins into the game, the TV cameras clearly picked up Michael Cussen coming across one of the Mones (I think) with an elbow and decking him. Hard to see how all officials missed it, but they did and went unpunished.
- Went down the town for the second half of the Armagh Meath game: about half way through the second half, long ball dropped on the Armagh square. It was clear as the nose on your face that Hearty made no attempt to play the ball, but simply took out Joe Sheridan. Nailed on penalty in my book, nothing awarded
- Louth Sligo game yesterday: Sligo centre half coming through with the ball, jumped as he charged with the ball, no free given, ends being a free to Sligo instead, baffling!!

I will acknowledge that the refs have a tough job and I am not man enough to do it myself. It is a thankless job and I am not surprised that it is difficult to get intelligent refs, some of the ones out there are just gobshites.

The worst display of refereeing I have ever seen at any level came from John Bannon and the best ref in the country for a number of years (IMO) has been Pat Mc Eneaney

Which one of the many bad games are you referring to ?? He refereed Tyrone and Laois in Omagh and it wasn't a vintage performance ! I thought he had retired ?

[Gnevin]

I'd like to see the tackle defined clearly . What does going for the ball mean and what is a tackle against the man. What is a fair shoulder? Their was a great shoulder in the Dublin V Monaghan game which was given the other way because the Monaghan lad fell over. When 2 or more players surround a player what rules apply here?  Same with a player trying to pick the ball off the ground while on the ground them self .

The whole contact area is totally grey.

[Louth Exile]

You wouldn't have seen it  

St Josephs (Louth) v Kilnernan (Wexford) first round of the Leinster club championship in 1996, they had some young fella called Mattie Forde playing for them. We wouldn't have beaten them even if he had refereed it fair, but it was just atrocious. His rise to the top of the refereeing ladder soon followed  

[orangeman]

You wouldn't have seen it  

St Josephs (Louth) v Kilnernan (Wexford) first round of the Leinster club championship in 1996, they had some young fella called Mattie Forde playing for them. We wouldn't have beaten them even if he had refereed it fair, but it was just atrocious. His rise to the top of the refereeing ladder soon followed 

I think they get rewarded on the basis of being pure shite ! 

[Armagh Exile]

I note that there are Assessors now assessing referees at club games.
Wonder who Assesses the Assessors?

[orangeman]

I note that there are Assessors now assessing referees at club games.
Wonder who Assesses the Assessors?

Assessors are retired referees who are not assessed by anyone - some of them are a very long time retired and are not up to it.

[Main Street]

What is a fair shoulder? Their was a great shoulder in the Dublin V Monaghan game which was given the other way because the Monaghan lad fell over.

The first yellow card for Keaney? It looked a fair enough shoulder charge but it was late, well late.
Right call by the ref but the yellow was harsh.

Dublin players should be awarded for fair shoulder challenges 

[Gnevin]

What is a fair shoulder? Their was a great shoulder in the Dublin V Monaghan game which was given the other way because the Monaghan lad fell over.

The first yellow card for Keaney? It looked a fair enough shoulder charge but it was late, well late.
Right call by the ref but the yellow was harsh.

Dublin players should be awarded for fair shoulder challenges 

Naw was by Henry i think a free in was given but no card . Was fairly late in the game

[Throw ball]

It may be right that they are trying to soften up the game. On saturday I watched Armagh v Meath and the referee booked 13 players (7 from Meath) and it was a very sporting game where 2 or 3 cards would have been enough. The referee, a Sligo man, is to referee Donegal and Derry on Sunday I believe. This is a local derby and will be alot more physical than last saturdays game. (Also a bit odd having a Sligo man refereeing a neighbouring county in such an important match). Will players get sent off and maybe miss a championship match? Also Jimmy McKee from Armagh refereed Dublin v Meath in the championship last year and many commentators said how great it was that he let the game flow. He then hardly got a match thereafter. Are we now developing gaelic football into a form of outdoor basketball!

[Farrandeelin]

Just wondering lads has there been a rule-change for the two bounces with one hand. In Castlebar yesterday, a Mayo man got blown for it, and later on a Galway man got the same decision gone against him. I thought afterwards that maybe there was a change in the rulebook. As did all those around me.