Managers call for refereeing review

Top hurling managers Ger Loughnane, Michael 'Babs' Keating and Gerald McCarthy have called on the GAA to review the rules governing the officiating of games by referees.

The trio were speaking at today's launch of the Allianz National Hurling League which starts next weekend.

Tipperary manager Keating was particularly annoyed by the sending-off of star hurler Tommy Dunne, the former Tipp captain, in last Saturday's All-Ireland club semi-final between Toomevara and Ballyhale Shamrocks.

Keating believes that the GAA should take a lesson from soccer and that a common sense approach should prevail when referees are dishing out yellow and red cards.

"Referees and the rules that govern referees have to be changed. The referees have to work with the rules that they are given.

"Ticking and yellow cards are things that need to be looked at and need to be changed - I would like to see ticking abandoned," he admitted.

Loughnane, the new Galway manager, is firmly in agreement with Keating's views.

"A common sense approach needs to be employed more often by officials. More and more, common sense is being taken out of referees' hands.

"Years ago a referee would be having a word with a player if he felt a dirty stroke was on the way," said the former Clare boss.