Anyone ever wondered at how its rare to see a referee from the powerhouse Gaelic football counties at the elite level. At the moment you have guys from counties like Cavan (Mc Quillan), Laois (Kinsella and Deegan), Sligo (Duffy), Clare (Hickey) and Meath (Coldrick and Reilly) refereeing all the big games. I cant remember an elite ref from Kerry, Dublin Mayo or Donegal in the modern era. Cork did have Collins a few years back but he seems to have gone off the scene. Tyrone had Sludden but we haven't seen him since the 2010 leinster final debacle. Even in the last ten or 15 years Pat McEnaney Paddy Russell and John Bannon were all from what would have been described as weaker counties.
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this trend just that is curious we havent seen an elite ref from Dublin in particular in a very long time, which is surprising given their population. Is it GAA policy to give big games to guys from weaker counties?

Mayostar (Mayo) - Posts: 40 - 16/09/2014 15:17:07    1652712

Cant ever remember a Kilkenny hurling ref............. ?

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 16/09/2014 15:28:38    1652720

would raise all sorts of questions about whether or not the ref would like to see the stronger team knocked out as his own county may be due to meet the winners down the line.


On a side note; as a cavan man, i fail to see the big GAA love-in for McQuillan.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 16/09/2014 15:57:41    1652745

Define a "powerhouse"? You could put Kerry and Dublin in that bracket. Would Cork and Tyrone be powerhouses? If Tyrone are, then you could make arguments for Donegal, Meath, Galway etc. Who all have had similar periods in the sun.

You'll never see a Dublin or Kerry ref do a quarter final match, those 2 teams are guaranteed to be involved every year, and the winner of the QF could well face their own county in the semi. Too close for comfort in terms of neutrality. Same with the semis, as Dublin and Kerry will make it nearly every year you cant have a referee from your potential opponents reffing your semi final.

While looking this up a pattern appeared, the last year neither Dublin nor Kerry made the semis was 1999. In fact since the qualifiers were introduced, Dublin and Kerry have filled 20 of the 28 semi final spots available to them, and on 3 of the occasions Dublin didnt it was Kerry who knocked them out in a QF.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 16/09/2014 16:26:40    1652759

I'm afraid I don't remember many good referees at club level in Kerry, bar one but can't remember his name, think he was either Rahillys or Laune Rangers ref, smallish guy.

JMK (Kerry) - Posts: 273 - 16/09/2014 16:32:08    1652764

MacSuibhne is the last inter county ref I can think of from Dublin.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 16/09/2014 16:54:49    1652780

It was a Kerryman that reffed the 92 Final between Donegal and Dublin - Sugrue

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 16/09/2014 17:02:05    1652781

JMK
County: Kerry...... but can't remember his name, .......smallish guy
Smallish Guy?? Arent they all!!! Small Man Syndrome

Miler (Mayo) - Posts: 1015 - 16/09/2014 20:37:15    1652865

Tommy Sugrue was from Tralee and refereed finals in the arly '90s

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1550 - 16/09/2014 20:44:36    1652866

CastleBravo


Didn't Tyrone knock Dublin out in a 1/4 final??

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 16/09/2014 21:57:42    1652893

A Mayo man reffed the 1982 final....I believe it is still not save for him to cross the border into Kerry.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 17/09/2014 08:47:08    1652901

John O Keeffe from Cork was a football ref.

Frank Murphy (the very man) was an All-Ireland hurling ref in the 1980s. Colm Lyons is a new upcoming star referee. He will get an All-Ireland soon. He has done minor final already-has done a few games at senior level this year.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 17/09/2014 16:24:10    1653137