Refs told to keep dishing out reds

Hurling referees have been defiantly told to continue issuing red cards for high fouls following a meeting of inter-county match officials on Tuesday evening.

Despite Pat Horgan’s proposed one-match ban for striking being rescinded by the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee (CHC) last weekend, James McGrath was given the thumbs up by referees chief Pat McEnaney for his decision to send off the Cork forward for a foul on Limerick’s Paudie O’Brien.

Ahead of this Sunday’ All-Ireland quarter-finals in Semple Stadium, McEnaney stated there has been no change in the directive given to his crew at the start of the season.

The CHC’s decision, he insists, will have no impact on Brian Gavin and Barry Kelly who take charge of the games in Thurles.

“We’re sticking to the matters that we’ve set out since the start of the year,” said McEnaney. “James McGrath reported a player for striking. What happens outside of the job that we do, in the committee rooms, that’s for other people to decide and we’ve no axe to grind.

“We’ll be sticking to what the referees have been instructed to do and that is fellas being struck on the head with a hurley is a red card offence with us. It’s a striking offence.

“Too many of these incidents have been happening and have been going without the punishment they deserve. We’ll be continuing to do our job. The referees will be doing it the way we’ve asked them to do it. There will be no change of direction on our part. What goes on in board or committee rooms is none of my business.”

McGrath returned to action last weekend in Westmeath where he sent off five players in a club game, one of them a first cousin of his. McEnaney gave him a ringing endorsement following the Munster final furore.

“I’m happy that James was spot on, absolutely.”

In the face of heavy criticism following his call to dismiss Horgan, McGrath commented on sportsfile.com via his Facebook account last Saturday.

Quoting a recent comment made by Sky Sports News presenter Rachel Wyse, he wrote: “Referee bashing is, of course, the easiest pastime in the world. The job is a thankless one and any individual who has the courage to referee any sport deserves respect.”

He sarcastically added: “Thanks to all those in the media & chat forums who have single handedly ‘bashed’ me — just to say it has made me stronger, I will stand the test of time... thanks again, really appreciate it.”

McEnaney is satisfied the GAA will act appropriately following the jostling and verbal abuse referee Joe McQuillan received following last Saturday’s Tyrone-Kildare qualifier in Newbridge. As his changing room was situated under the stand, the Cavan match official had to walk through the crowd in St Conleth’s Park. Although he had a Garda escort, he was pushed and accosted by supporters unhappy with his performance.

Both GAA president Liam O’Neill and director general Páraic Duffy have given assurances the situation must change as referees’ safety is of paramount importance. They have also said Newbridge won’t host a major game until referees aren’t put in such a potentially dangerous situation.

“Joe didn’t get hurt, that’s the first thing to say and that’s important. Liam O’Neill said this week we can’t have situations like that. There will be discussions.

“While it was a county’s ground it was under Croke Park jurisdiction for the game and when I spoke to Páraic Duffy last night [Tuesday] he reaffirmed to me it’s something that we need to look at it.”

Meanwhile, Mayo manager James Horan has slammed the sideline regulations in the wake of Sunday’s Connacht final win over London.

Speaking about the Exiles’ heavy tackling especially in the latter stages of the game and the need to get replacements on, he described the situation which restricts his number of backroom team on pitchside to five including himself as “absolutely ridiculous”.

“There was a couple of variations on rugby tackles going in there, so we’d a lot of substitutes that we were trying to bring on, and I’m not quite sure of the situation on sidelines,” Horan began.

“There’s five of my crew allowed on, but besides that there were a number of Connacht Council people and a number of other people on the sideline, so it’s very, very hard to make substitutions now. The GAA really do need to look at that rule. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, the situation that’s there at the moment.”