McEnaney: Officials making card errors

Referees chief Pat McEnaney is pleased with how the black card is operating in Gaelic football but concedes officials have been making some errors in applying the new rules.

Over halfway through the round stages of the Allianz Football League, the Monaghan native is relatively satisfied with how it’s working at inter-county level as much as he doubts the high scores will continue unabated as defences become more familiar with what they can and cannot do.

However, as he prepares for a meeting with inter-county football refs this evening, he accepts mistakes have been made with some officials incorrectly handing out black cards and, in a number of cases, yellow cards for automatic substitution offences.

“The new rules are working well overall and we’re happy with where we are. There are some improvements to be made and consistency across the board is roughly 90%. There are a few incidents where we’ve got to hold our hand up and come down with a decision on what to do with them. But the big plus is the drop in body-checking, which has been the real success. Some people would make an issue the physicality from the game is gone. If body-checking is the physicality being lost then I don’t mind that one bit.”

McEnaney has instructed his referees not to prepare for games with the sense they need to liberally apply the advantage rule.

“I’ve told them it’s an extra tool in their toolbox but we don’t need to go out onto the field with advantage in our head. It’s the same principle as was there last year only now they can call back the play after five seconds if no advantage has been gained.

“It’s something the players and public are still getting used to. I’ve been at matches where the supporters are not used to the player getting a second chance. It’s a learning curve for them.”

As for whether a pull back should also become a black card offence, McEnaney said a better judgement can be made at the end of the season.

He saw Andy Moran’s jersey pull on Daithi Casey in last Sunday week’s Division 1 game between Mayo and Kerry.

However, he insisted Ciarán Brannigan made the right call in noting Moran’s name for the infringement.

“We’ve seen one incident highlighted but that’s in over 60 matches so far in the league. It’s one that caused a bit of discussion, but the referee was correct as it was a jersey pull and therefore a noting offence.

“The best thing we can do is sit down at the end of the Championship and review the thing. If we need rule changes we’ve got to go to Congress so let’s all be a bit patient and see how the season goes.

“If things needs to be reviewed let’s do it in the democratic way.”

McEnaney has spoken before about the potential for more diving offences in Gaelic football because of the black card.

He read Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s comments about more coaches encouraging players to fall to ground to earn opponents black cards for deliberate pull-downs.

However, McEnaney said: “With respect to Eamonn Fitzmaurice, I’m way ahead of him in that regard. It’s routinely come up for discussion. We go down through a number of things including protecting the high fielder and feigning injuries is also on the list. We have preempted him on this. It’s been a part of our agenda for some time and as a group we’re very aware of the dangers.”

McEnaney can remember dishing out several yellow cards to players for diving during his inter-county refereeing career, one of the last coming for Tyrone’s Brian McGuigan against Longford in a round two All-Ireland qualifier in 2011. However, he re-emphasised a black card will be issued to players in possession of the ball who bring their direct opponents to the ground.

“The big thing now is not necessarily feigning injury but the player grabbing the other player’s arm and sucking him in to fall and make it look like a foul. That’s still prevalent and the black card is there for that too.”

McEnaney defends use of cards

Pat McEnaney would welcome the opportunity to defend yellow and red cards in GAA president Liam O’Neill’s upcoming hurling forum.

McEnaney (pictured) has heard the arguments made by Eddie Keher and Kilkenny manager Brian Cody, but would be glad to debate the issue with them.

“I fully respect Eddie Keher’s opinion and I’d have no problem in getting into that discussion. I don’t agree that cards should be taken out of the game, and I’d have no difficulty in putting forward that case.”

McEnaney has been critical of hurling refereeing in his two years as chairman but described the standard in this year’s league so far as “going quite well.”