Refs on same wavelength with radio equipment

NATIONAL Referees Committee chairman Mick Curley has predicted that all top GAA match officials will be fitted out with high tech devices over the coming seasons in order to aid them keep in contact with their fellow officials.

The country’s leading football referee Pat McEnaney used a radio system, which enabled instant communication between referees, linesmen and umpires, in Monday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final between Kerry and Dublin in Croke Park.

“It is a big help,” said McEnaney, in keeping in contact with two linesmen and four umpires.

It is about the size of a mobile phone, it is a little bit awkward, a little bit cumbersome but we’ll get on with it.”

Curley has revealed that there has been a positive response to the use of the systems and forecasts them being a commonplace sight in future intercounty matches.

“Pat wore one for Monday’s match and there have been other referees who have used them this summer.

“They haven’t been used in all intercounty senior matches but equipment is available to referees and they have the option to use it if they want.

“I expect that they will be rolled out more and more regularly over the next few seasons.

“You’ll start to see it used during the National League and the championship as they all seem to be helping referees out greatly.”

Curley believes that a key benefit of using the device is that it erases the time delays that umpires and linesmen experience trying to bring an incident to the attention of referees during games.

“Beforehand there was a common sight in GAA matches of umpires and linesmen standing away from goal and having their hand out trying to attract the referee’s attention, when incidents take place off the ball.

“You had a situation of umpires and linesmen waiting a few minutes and then referees having to run the length of the pitch sometimes to get up to them.

“This makes for far easier communication between all the match officials and should be a big help to all of them when officiating at inter-county level.

“It’s a really valuable aid and prevents referees having to run all over the pitch.

“Any referee that has used the device this summer has commented positively about it.

“So everything seems to be working out well so far.”

Meanwhile the GAA announced yesterday that the postponed All-Ireland MFC quarter-final tie between Down and Dublin has been refixed for Saturday, August 15 in Kingspan Breffni Park.

The match was originally pencilled in for last Saturday as part of a double-header with the minor tie between Armagh and Kildare.

However an outbreak of swine flu amongst the Down squad prompted the GAA to take the decision to postpone the game.

Twenty-one of the 28-man Down panel fell ill two weeks ago.

Although standard GAA practice is not to call off matches on the grounds of illness, the decision was taken to grant a postponement due to theexceptional circumstances at play on this occasion.

The match is now set to go ahead between Leinster champions Dublin and beaten Ulster finalists Down, with the prize for the winners being an All-Ireland semi-final tie against Mayo in Croke Park on August 30.