Referee body warning on goal-hangers

Referees and umpires have been told to be extra vigilant about the presence of team members and officials behind goals.

The reminder from the national referees committee comes in the wake of Conor Clarke’s presence behind Niall Morgan’s goal in last Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final between Tyrone and Monaghan.

Midfielder Clarke, who is out for the season with a serious cruciate injury, fed Clarke with a quick supply of ball for kick-outs. However, it led to confusion as at some stages two balls were entering the field.

Clarke had a verbal exchange with an Ulster Council official after he had waved his hands behind Morgan’s net seemingly as a means of distracting Kieran Hughes as he struck a penalty, which hit the post.

The issues of partisan ballboys was brought up earlier this year by Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, who referenced Dublin’s slick operation.

He recalled of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final: “There are other factors — an interesting thing to watch out for is the ballboys: if Dublin are behind, there is one fella rolls (the ball back to the keeper) from one side and another from the other.

“Let’s say a Kerry back kicks it back to him to slow the game down, another ball comes straight in from the other side. Magic! If Dublin are ahead, you won’t see any ball.”

It’s been pointed out Kerry themselves have a similar set-up in Killarney and Tralee, but when Dublin are playing so often in Croke Park and all of the major Championship games are there the issue there would appear to be a bigger one.

Several hurling goalkeepers, especially in the 2000s, either had their own ballboys or umpires instructed to feed them with their preferred brand of sliotar for puckouts.