When the grass began to turn red, I knew I was in trouble

Refereeing Kilkenny-Tipperary Championship games this decade were like walking on a cliff edge. There was the exhilaration of being so close to danger and the joy of the view but you knew it was a match that could end you as a referee.

After the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final, Cathal McAllister didn’t fully recover for two or three seasons. You knew these games needed handling because they could so easily get out of control. These involved players who were boxing each other with their helmets on in league games.