Ladies football referee quits after abuse sparked by 're***d' comment

By Kevin Murphy

A Westmeath-based garda has vowed to abandon his refereeing career following foul and abusive comments he received at a club game.

Shane Farrell, who is originally from Dublin, alleged he was called a "retard" after sending a player to the sin-bin recently.

The experienced official told the Irish Independent he was “shocked beyond belief” with the level of abuse he received after he subsequently issued the player with a red card.

A file picture of this year’s Westmeath Ladies Football jersey

The player in question is a member of the Westmeath Ladies Football squad and had a one-month suspension reduced to two weeks on appeal. The reduction made her available for her county’s game against Laois last Sunday.

Farrell, a former intercounty referee, wrote to the Ladies Gaelic Football Association in Croke Park and pointed out the reduced appeal by the Westmeath County Board made the player available for her county.

Westmeath Chairperson Geraldine Giles strongly defended the actions of the County Board and denied the player’s involvement with the county had a bearing on the decision.

Giles said: “The reduction had nothing to do with the county game. The girl came in and made her appeal.

“Yes, she is a county player. Had the one-month match suspension been upheld her club and county would have accepted that.”