President calls for referee protection

GAA President Sean Kelly last night admitted that “the sanctity of the referee and respect for his decisions is something the Association could borrow from sports such as rugby.”

Speaking at the inaugural National Referee Awards Banquet in Dublin last night, Mr Kelly said that “Referees perform one of the most thankless jobs you can possibly imagine.”

“There is a definite challenge facing the Association with regard to the question of referees and refereeing. It is essential that we do more to acknowledge their contribution and to develop a culture where respect for the decision of the referee is paramount. We must increase our efforts at all levels to recruit and train referees. Schemes like the Young Whistlers initiative have a significant role to play.