James McGrath feels ‘betrayed’by GAA

James McGrath has claimed he was effectively forced to quit inter-county refereeing.

The Westmeath referee yesterday announced his resignation from the national referees panel after 18 years of service, hugely disappointed at not being included in the line-up for the All-Ireland hurling final later this month between Galway and Limerick.

McGrath had been widely fancied to get the nod to referee the game, particularly when he did not take charge of either semi-final or, indeed, the Galway-Clare replay, but, instead, it is James Owens who will whistle proceedings, with McGrath also overlooked for the role of stand-by referee.

The appointments were made by the referees’ appointments committee, this group chaired by Meath native Donal Smyth. McGrath hit out at this committee yesterday, accusing them of showing a lack of integrity.

“It is with a heavy heart that I make this decision but I feel my decision has ultimately been made by the Central Referees’ Appointments Committee (CRAC) for me to resign from the national referees panel with immediate effect. I have had a brilliant 18 years refereeing at the top level. It is not a decision I take lightly. It is a decision I think that, ultimately, has been made for me,” McGrath said.

“[My decision] is final and irreversible given the lack of trust and confidence by CRAC and I feel betrayed by the association as a consequence given my 18 years of unbroken volunteerism to the association on the national referees panel.”

Having taken charge of the Munster final and the All-Ireland quarter-final between Limerick and Kilkenny, and then not being in the middle for any of the semi-finals, McGrath was seen as the frontrunner to whistle the All-Ireland final.

Writing in Monday’s

Irish Examiner

, former hurling referee Brian Gavin remarked that McGrath “had a slow start to his year, but he’s improved throughout the summer and is in prime position now”.

Speaking to RTÉ last night, McGrath gave the impression he expected to be appointed referee for the clash of Galway and Limerick, what would have been his third senior final to take charge of. He previously whistled the 2012 and 2013 All-Ireland final replays.

“The All-Ireland final is a special occasion for every match official, so it is hugely disappointing not to be involved as a stand-by referee or linesman on the day, with James [Owens], and I wish James and his match officials the very best of luck. James is a very capable referee and no doubt he will have a brilliant game.”

With Brian Gavin and Barry Kelly bowing out earlier this year, the GAA has lost three high-profile hurling referees in less than a year.

n Meanwhile, former Kilkenny hurler and eight-time All-Ireland medal winner Eddie Brennan is the new Laois hurling manager.

Brennan has been proposed by the three-man selection committee charged with finding Eamonn Kelly’s successor and will be ratified at the next meeting of the Laois county board. Laois endured a disappointing summer and were never in the running to make the Joe McDonagh Cup final. Brennan’s inter-county managerial experience is the two years he spent as Kilkenny U21 boss.

The first of those ended in a shock Leinster championship quarter-final defeat to Westmeath, while in 2017, the county’s U21s won Leinster but were beaten in the All-Ireland decider by Limerick.

The four-time All-Star stepped down following the defeat to Limerick.