You are the ref

Yesterday was my first time in this year’s championship watching a game from home.

Unlike at a game, the viewer gets replays, slow motion and even incidents from different angles.

All of those advantages certainly came in handy assessing what happened in the Morgan Athletic Grounds.

Referee Michael Duffy had a poor game. The major incident came in the 57th minute when he decided to blow up Benny McArdle for committing a foul on a Monaghan forward.

He had the notebook out and McArdle stood his ground to receive his punishment. But then Duffy allowed a quick free from Conor McManus to Tommy Freeman who was running away and he scored a Monaghan goal.

Firstly, the free kick should have been awarded to Down because Freeman was only five or six metres away when the rule states you can’t be any closer than 13 metres in receiving the ball from a free-kick.

But then Duffy went back and booked McArdle after the goal was scored. It was not good refereeing.

Down supporters had already voiced their disapproval with some of Duffy’s decisions — and with some justification — after the first half with some contentious decisions.

In the 22nd minute, he failed to book Monaghan midfielder Owen Lennon despite fouling when there was a Down goal-scoring opportunity.

In the 27th minute, a foul on Donal O’Hare was ignored while in the 39th minute Lennon tripped an opponent and the ball was allowed to be played on the ground.

In the 43rd minute, Duffy allowed advantage to Down after a player had been fouled and O’Hare kicked wide when Down would have benefited more from a free being given. In the 53rd minute when there was a second possible penalty claim for Down, Conor Garvey left his foot in on Karl O’Connell and while no reference was made to it in the commentary the CCCC may have a look at it today.

Duffy will be disappointed with his performance but he has a chance to redeem himself in the Longford versus Derry qualifier game next Saturday.

Elsewhere over the weekend, Brian Gavin and Barry Kelly had good games in the two big hurling matches.

In Portlaoise on Saturday, Kelly incorrectly whistled Dublin’s Liam Rushe for over-carrying before reversing the free and awarding a throw-in after consulting with his linesman. It’s seldom that a linesman gets involved in such a thing but it was positive refereeing on Kelly’s part and he controlled the game well.

Although, it must be worrying for referees and umpires that RTÉ Radio One’s Take Your Point talk-in show is back. I know from personal experience it has upset a journey home from a game!