Football championship referees’ panel

Started by Cunny Funt, May 09, 2017, 08:25:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Blowitupref

Retiring ref won't miss hate mail

Rory Hickey has revealed how he received hate mail during his time as a referee.

The Clare match official, who hung up his whistle this week after missing the cut for this year's football championship panel, says the most disturbing mail he received was after he awarded Cork a controversial penalty against Limerick in the 2009 Munster SFC final.

"I got letters sent to me a few years ago," Hickey told the Clare Champion.

"I gave a penalty to Cork in a Munster football final and the people of Limerick weren't too happy about it. The letters came to my mother's house and she opened them and they were't too complimentary. Someone had gone out of their way to cut words out of magazines and newspapers, so that the handwriting couldn't be traced.

"I am not the only one that has happened to. I know other lads at national level who would have had the same thing happen to them.

"It's disturbing and at that stage then you are handing the letters over to the guards and hoping that there won't be repeat stuff or anyone calling to the door. Thankfully, I never had anyone calling to my house because of a decision in a game, but I have gotten texts and that kind of thing. People would seek out your number and send you those texts.

"I am big enough and bold enough to handle that, but when it is going to your mother's house, or your wife and children might be reading it, it's not nice." 
Is the ref going to finally blow his whistle?... No, he's going to blow his nose

tippabu

What's the standard of reffing like in Dublin. When was the last time there was a Dublin ref on the panel and at that it mustn't have been for a sustained time or high profile?

Hound

Impossible to judge a ref unless you're totally impartial. Most people are complete idiots when it comes to judging refs, they only see the 50/50s that go against them and completely ignore the 50/50s that go their way, and often they don't know the rules themselves!

About two years ago I went to see local rivals play in a Division 1 game in Dublin. I generally hate them, but a cousin of mine had progressed to the first team, so I was hoping he'd do well and didn't care about the opposition either way, so found myself neutral as to the result. The ref had a fine game (drawn match), yet both sets of fans gave him absolute dog's abuse and I realised if I'd been a fan of either, I probably would have been in the same boat. Overnight my perspective and reaction to refs changed completely!

In Dublin division 1, the standard is pretty high I would say. They've gotten rid of most of the old fogies who just stand between the 45s (or 65s). The new bunch are young, fit and reasonable.

Most important factors for refs (in no particular order):
1. Fit and keeps up with play
2. Not an arsehole who thrives on the power his whistle holds
3. Explains decisions when he makes them
4. Consistently gives frees (or doesn't give frees) for similar incidents
5. Doesn't get intimidated by he who shouts loudest
6. Knows the rules inside out

From a fan's perspective, the key one for me is number 3 above. "He gave it for a push by the corner back". So even if you didn't see the push, or didn't think the push warranted a free, at least you have his perspective and almost always, that's not unreasonable.

rosnarun

If you make yourself understood, you're always speaking well. Moliere

Itchy

Quote from: rosnarun on April 29, 2019, 12:46:11 PM
Quote from: BennyCake on April 25, 2019, 06:37:03 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on April 25, 2019, 06:31:31 PM
Not one referee from Dublin

There is one - Joe McQuillan.
don't forget Dublin deegan

Having lived close to Mayo for 15 years now and studied this strain of humanity and it's odd ways I can conclude that the only way mayo will win Sam is by having all refs from mayo. It is strongly believed in mayo that if referees were not biased against them that Mayo would never have lost any game ever and would have amassed well over 100 AI titles. Bias against Mayo is rampant in the other 31 counties, probably in the rest of the world too.

magpie seanie

Quote from: Hound on April 29, 2019, 12:38:45 PM
Impossible to judge a ref unless you're totally impartial. Most people are complete idiots when it comes to judging refs, they only see the 50/50s that go against them and completely ignore the 50/50s that go their way, and often they don't know the rules themselves!

About two years ago I went to see local rivals play in a Division 1 game in Dublin. I generally hate them, but a cousin of mine had progressed to the first team, so I was hoping he'd do well and didn't care about the opposition either way, so found myself neutral as to the result. The ref had a fine game (drawn match), yet both sets of fans gave him absolute dog's abuse and I realised if I'd been a fan of either, I probably would have been in the same boat. Overnight my perspective and reaction to refs changed completely!

In Dublin division 1, the standard is pretty high I would say. They've gotten rid of most of the old fogies who just stand between the 45s (or 65s). The new bunch are young, fit and reasonable.

Most important factors for refs (in no particular order):
1. Fit and keeps up with play
2. Not an arsehole who thrives on the power his whistle holds
3. Explains decisions when he makes them
4. Consistently gives frees (or doesn't give frees) for similar incidents
5. Doesn't get intimidated by he who shouts loudest
6. Knows the rules inside out

From a fan's perspective, the key one for me is number 3 above. "He gave it for a push by the corner back". So even if you didn't see the push, or didn't think the push warranted a free, at least you have his perspective and almost always, that's not unreasonable.

Excellent post.

From the Bunker

Quote from: Itchy on April 30, 2019, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: rosnarun on April 29, 2019, 12:46:11 PM
Quote from: BennyCake on April 25, 2019, 06:37:03 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on April 25, 2019, 06:31:31 PM
Not one referee from Dublin

There is one - Joe McQuillan.
don't forget Dublin deegan

Having lived close to Mayo for 15 years now and studied this strain of humanity and it's odd ways I can conclude that the only way mayo will win Sam is by having all refs from mayo. It is strongly believed in mayo that if referees were not biased against them that Mayo would never have lost any game ever and would have amassed well over 100 AI titles. Bias against Mayo is rampant in the other 31 counties, probably in the rest of the world too.

I don't know! Mayo people have always blamed decisions made on the line more. Maughan, Horan, Roachford have taken huge criticism for past failures.

And to be fair we took the greatest riding from a referee in Limerick in 2014.

westbound

Quote from: From the Bunker on April 30, 2019, 09:36:22 PM
Quote from: Itchy on April 30, 2019, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: rosnarun on April 29, 2019, 12:46:11 PM
Quote from: BennyCake on April 25, 2019, 06:37:03 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on April 25, 2019, 06:31:31 PM
Not one referee from Dublin

There is one - Joe McQuillan.
don't forget Dublin deegan

Having lived close to Mayo for 15 years now and studied this strain of humanity and it's odd ways I can conclude that the only way mayo will win Sam is by having all refs from mayo. It is strongly believed in mayo that if referees were not biased against them that Mayo would never have lost any game ever and would have amassed well over 100 AI titles. Bias against Mayo is rampant in the other 31 counties, probably in the rest of the world too.

I don't know! Mayo people have always blamed decisions made on the line more. Maughan, Horan, Roachford have taken huge criticism for past failures.

And to be fair we took the greatest riding from a referee in Limerick in 2014.

I think the good people of louth might disagree!

twohands!!!

Quote from: westbound on May 01, 2019, 12:06:04 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on April 30, 2019, 09:36:22 PM
Quote from: Itchy on April 30, 2019, 06:03:42 PM
Quote from: rosnarun on April 29, 2019, 12:46:11 PM
Quote from: BennyCake on April 25, 2019, 06:37:03 PM
Quote from: manfromdelmonte on April 25, 2019, 06:31:31 PM
Not one referee from Dublin

There is one - Joe McQuillan.
don't forget Dublin deegan

Having lived close to Mayo for 15 years now and studied this strain of humanity and it's odd ways I can conclude that the only way mayo will win Sam is by having all refs from mayo. It is strongly believed in mayo that if referees were not biased against them that Mayo would never have lost any game ever and would have amassed well over 100 AI titles. Bias against Mayo is rampant in the other 31 counties, probably in the rest of the world too.

I don't know! Mayo people have always blamed decisions made on the line more. Maughan, Horan, Roachford have taken huge criticism for past failures.

And to be fair we took the greatest riding from a referee in Limerick in 2014.

I think the good people of louth might disagree!

I'd imagine most people would say Louth have that title - were Mayo even that hard done by in Limerick?

Blowitupref

David Coldrick who was the ref for 4 All-Ireland finals and Derek O’Mahoney, who was the ref for this year's All-Ireland club final are cut from the championship referees panel after failing fitness tests.
Is the ref going to finally blow his whistle?... No, he's going to blow his nose

Itchy

O Mahoney is a poor enough ref but I always found Coldrick ok.

GoldCoastRossie

I would think the same of Coldrick as decent enough ref. Its a thankless task. You blow for every free you are too officious and if you let the game go you are too lax.

I still think its only a matter of time before GAA at intercounty moves to 2 referees in a match due to the speed and hard hitting and size of players although with the passing over and back all day long and 15 behind the ball, a pensioner would be able to ref it!. The game is a lot cleaner nowadays compared to watching GAA Gold and the evolution to include the linesmen helps.

If there is any inconsistency its I feel northern refs let more physical stuff go which is more in tune with Ulster football than elsewhere but any good player and management should be able to adjust and play the ref. 

Armagh18

Quote from: GoldCoastRossie on April 20, 2023, 03:41:01 PM
I would think the same of Coldrick as decent enough ref. Its a thankless task. You blow for every free you are too officious and if you let the game go you are too lax.

I still think its only a matter of time before GAA at intercounty moves to 2 referees in a match due to the speed and hard hitting and size of players although with the passing over and back all day long and 15 behind the ball, a pensioner would be able to ref it!. The game is a lot cleaner nowadays compared to watching GAA Gold and the evolution to include the linesmen helps.

If there is any inconsistency its I feel northern refs let more physical stuff go which is more in tune with Ulster football than elsewhere but any good player and management should be able to adjust and play the ref.
yeah any half decent team should know within 5 minutes what way a ref is and how much physicality they will let go. Problem is when they let something go then 5 minutes later blow for the same thing!!

Milltown Row2

When players play within the rules, stop questioning every decision pestering ref's, ganching at every miss bad pass, but concentrating on the ball we'd have a cleaner game without the shite thrown up now.

Having two refs won't change that. Stupid idea, two conflicting views and different calls! Players would be seriously confused
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

From the Bunker

The world expects perfection. Referees are not given the required rules to adhere to this. Most of the time they have to go with interpretation. And interpretation is mathematically impossible to get right all of the time!