Louth may change tack to back GAA’s refs plan

LOUTH County Board could withdraw their motion for umpires to be neutral of referees in favour of the GAA’s plan for the officials to take training courses and exams.

Louth chairman Padraic O’Connor confirmed they will to discuss the matter further at their next monthly meeting ahead of Annual Congress in Mullingar on April 16.

The board drafted the motion in response to last year’s controversial Leinster SFC final when referee Martin Sludden, after consulting with one of his umpires, allowed an illegitimately scored goal by Meath to stand.

“We have no problem with that,” said Padraic O’Connor about the GAA’s plan. “We’re aware we are in a democratic organisation. If a motion is put to the floor it can be either passed or defeated. But if the board feels it’s a reasonable proposal that is put in place, then so be it.

“We’re not trying to score points. All we’re trying to do is draw attention to the issue. We have met with Páraic Duffy, he advised us of his plans and we explained to him the reasons why we are putting forward the motion.

“It may look a bit silly but if a referee has four guys and is not familiar with them or where they are from they might not be as willing to say yes as the guy who drives up and down 40 miles with him or with whom he shares a cup of tea.

“Like a lot of these things, this will be discussed in the backrooms so we shall see what happens. It’s something the county will have to look at.”

At the launch of his annual report on Tuesday, GAA Director General Páraic Duffy suggested the Louth motion could be made redundant by the initiative.

“As far as we’re concerned we’re happy that the umpire, as long as he is certified, won’t change,” he remarked.

“The referee can choose what umpires he want to use.”

Louth had another motion calling for the introduction of television match officials as it would also have had to apply to the playing rules, which can’t be done, and so was deemed out of order.

O’Connor welcomed the fact Duffy in his report referred to last year’s Leinster final as “the lowest point of our activities in 2010”.

“We’re all in the one organisation,” he explained. “Nobody knew what Martin Sludden did would cause such ripples across the organisation. It was human error but so costly.

“At the Leinster convention last month, the executive accepted responsibility for not stepping up quicker after what happened and making clear what could be done. I addressed the convention and made my point about the sense of loss and injustice that’s still being felt in Louth.

“Páraic Duffy and Christy Cooney are men who certainly don’t want something like what happened at the Leinster final to happen again.”