Trouble brews in Wee County as refs threaten strike
Match officials are up in arms following the hearings committee’s decision to uphold an appeal against the referee’s report from the original September 15 game between an O’Connells/Stabannon/St Josephs combination and Clan na Gael.
Dundalk’s Clan na Gael objected to the result, which the referee recorded as a 2-13 to 2-12 scoreline against them.
Clan na Gael successfully contended their team wasn’t awarded a legitimate point by Stephen Murphy in the first half.
In a statement released following a meeting on Monday night, Louth’s referees committee said: “Coiste Reiteoiri Co Lú tonight decided that no referees would make themselves available to officiate at a re-fixture of the minor semi-final in view of the hearing committee’s decision to rescind the referees report on the result of the game.”
Liam O’Neill, who is secretary of the committee as well as the minor board, confirmed referees are prepared to take the nuclear option if the game goes ahead.
He pointed out that the hearings committee’s decision contravenes the GAA’s Official Guide.
“The referees are not happy. The decision was made unanimously that no referee would take any active part in any capacity in a re-fixed semi-final because the referee’s report was overturned on a score.
“According to the Official Guide, that cannot happen. The hearings committee, in their wisdom, decided to go against the grain and award a replay so that’s where we’re at.”
According to rule 6.41 of the Official Guide, “the award of a game rests with the committee or council-in-charge acting on the referee’s report”.
The wording may appear open to interpretation but in the GAA, it is generally accepted that the referee’s decision is final.
O’Neill explained Louth’s referees will refuse to officiate in games for at least the remainder of the year if the game goes ahead.
“If it gets to the stage where a referee from in or outside the county is brought in to officiate, then we’re faced in a situation where it’ll be an all-out strike.
“There are not that many matches left but there are still a few and that is the decision.”
In his brief as secretary of Louth’s minor board, O’Neill recalled they had no issue with the referee’s report.
“We in the minor board dealt with it on the Tuesday afterwards, the 18th,” he recounted.
“We upheld the referee’s report.
“The same evidence was produced to the hearings committee in Louth by way of an objection from Clan na Gael.
“They saw fit to use the evidence produced against the referee’s report and Clan na Gael won their appeal at that stage.
“When they won their appeal, we on the minor board were instructed by the hearings committee to re-fix that match.
“We have that match re-fixed for this Thursday night. We are going against our principles but we must follow procedure.”
