Ref McEnaney credits lessons learnt from fiery Munster final

PAT McEnaney credits his development as arguably the GAA’s top Gaelic Football referee to the lessons learned from what he admits was his poor handling of the 1998 Munster final in Pairc Ui Chaoimh between Cork and Kerry.

While acknowledging that he is ‘most remembered’ for the Meath/Mayo All-Ireland final two years ago which produced a stormy start to their second meeting — “in the space of two weeks I went from being rated the best referee in the country to the worst” — he said last night that the game in Cork was probably the most difficult of his career.

McEnaney, whose brother Seamus is the Monaghan manager, was a guest on RTÉ’s Sportscall, along with World Cup rugby referee Alain Roland and international soccer referee Alan Kelly. He said he remembered travelling down to Cork on the Saturday on ‘a beautiful sunny day’ and having the attitude that he would let the teams play football. !