Pat McEnaney

Outgoing GAA national referees chairman Pat McEnaney said he learned very little about hurling during his three-year term. 

Ger Loughnane was one of the Monaghan man’s harshest critics, insisting former football match official McEnaney should have “nothing to do” with hurling referees.

The Hurling 2020 committee’s proposal to set up a separate hurling refereeing body also appeared to be a response to McEnaney’s administration.

“What I learned about hurling refereeing wasn’t a whole lot,” he said.

“I understand both games and what’s a yellow and a red card. My understanding of the rules didn’t come today or yesterday. I had it over 20 years ago. People may have thought it was new to me but it wasn’t. When you take that job, it’s like refereeing: criticism is part of it. In fairness to Ger, he has an opinion and it’s his opinion.

"I’ve got my opinion and we’re big boys. I’ve spoke to Ger since that and it doesn’t strain our relationship. If I’m going for a pint tomorrow he’s quite welcome to join me. People have opinions and that’s the great thing about our association but there are no hang-ups. We move on.”

McEnaney enjoyed the challenge of the job, even though he was reluctant to accept it at first, and was thinking after three months that “I don’t need to be here”.

He maintains cutting the number of hurling championship referees from 12 to eight was justified.

“Championship hurling is that intense, you need to have reffed four or five games if you’re going to do an All-Ireland final. You don’t come in red raw, you need matches.

"The bottom line is we only have about 23 championship matches so the minimum required is three or four games. It’s simple mathematics. You don’t need to go to secondary school to work that one out.”

McEnaney was also slammed for encouraging what was interpreted by some as heavy-handed refereeing in hurling. However, he argues: “While people weren’t happy with some of it I didn’t like the red cards we were missing and they now have to ask what’s the game like now? I’ll let people make their mind up on that one.”

The black card was his biggest challenge, he says. “We covered the 32 counties. We’re halfway through covering them again. I’ve already done three of them. We’re revisiting that because I’m not happy with the way we have dealt with the deliberate pulldown at national level.

"That reflects itself through to club level so it’s important that we get that message out there. The drop in bodychecking has been a big addition.”

Apart from proposing two referees in hurling, limiting the hand-pass in football and extending the game’s square ball rule to hurling are two additions he would like to see implemented.

“Limiting the hand-pass is one of the things the GAA needs to look at next. Do we need to limit it to three or four? Would that help our game? That’s the question people will have to ask.”

He’s no strong opinion on the clock/hooter but can see teams taking advantage of the concussion sub proposal, which will be voted on today.

“That one would be very much open to abuse.”

McEnaney has been asked about remaining on in some form of national administration but intends focusing on family commitments and his management of his club Corduff’s minor footballers.