Brian Gavin: Injury to Munster final ref underlines need to support officials

Thomas Walsh had to come off with cramp in extra time in Limerick on Saturday night.

Match referee Thomas Walsh is assisted to his feet by both team doctors, Dr Adrian Murphy, Cork, and Dr James Ryan, Limerick. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

The image of Adam English trying to help a cramping Thomas Walsh is one of the abiding images from Saturday’s Munster final.

It comes only a week after David Gough was forced to pull out of officiating the Down-Louth game with a hamstring problem. I won’t say referees are dropping like flies but the pains and bangs they are picking up is a symptom of the scheduling when games are coming so quickly after another.