Laois manager Mike Quirke, 2010 All-Ireland winning Cork manager Conor Counihan, and four-time All-Ireland hurling final referee Brian Gavin have called for the introduction of the clock-hooter system to lessen the "unsustainable" demands being placed on football referees.

I would like to compliment Frank Murphy, the secretary of the Cork County GAA board, for his comments on the refereeing in the football and hurling championships.

As a person who has been involved in refereeing as an umpire at all levels including All-Ireland finals in the ’70/’80s I take a particular interest in the performance of the referee, and indeed, the assessments by John Bannon each Monday in the Irish Examiner, which are very good.

BEING a football analyst requires checking one’s emotions at the door and delivering cold, impartial analysis. For me this is much harder this time round.