Mayo, All Ireland Champions, 2014
Cork, Munster Champions, 2015

If rugby can have refs wired up, in full consultation with their line men and with a video panel to make tough calls... fairness is more readily in evidence. How about the GAA following their lead? Harder with hurling, but even there, technology has its place (as it has had in tennis ).

As for Gaelic football, the need for it seems even greater. Enough with the 'we woz robbed' cries after the final whistle; sort out the calls during the match!

plike (Kerry) - Posts: 569 - 29/07/2015 15:36:02    1760883

problem is getting it in every stadium. Like hawk eye, isnt fair as only in a select few grounds. 1 rule for some a differnt rule for others is worse that just every rule and decision being a poor one

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 29/07/2015 15:42:49    1760886

Dont forget Louth Leinster Champions 2010 while your on this subject.

OLLIE (Louth) - Posts: 12224 - 29/07/2015 15:43:48    1760887

In the Premier League am I right in saying that the Linesman can flag for a foul if he sees one? I don't think this happens in the GAA which should be changed.

If a player is running along the end line, for example, and gets brought to ground rightly or wrongly the ref shouldn't be making a decision unless the Linesman flags since he should have a better view.

Uncle_Fester (Meath) - Posts: 217 - 29/07/2015 16:06:31    1760898

Reffing is a near impossible job but i think the standard this year has been appalling. What annoys me about referees is not knowing what a black card is (Sean Cavanagh this year against Donegal, it was a yellow which meant he was getting the line anyway but why the black?) and a lack of consitency. The lack of consitency is not even between games but in games. The refs are doing serious damage to the games yet aren't accountable to anyone. It's not sledging or blanket defenses causing the most harm to this game, it's the men in the middle.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 29/07/2015 16:10:59    1760907

Brolly is right on this one. If a ref makes a major mistake he should be stood down for the next match.

Molaise (Fermanagh) - Posts: 96 - 29/07/2015 19:42:05    1761025

A county referee stood down will just end up doing club games at home.
It's not exactly a punishment

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1890 - 29/07/2015 20:23:48    1761046

Am I wrong in saying that a linesman/umpire spots an off the ball incident he can make he ref aware and therefore The ref can punish the player?

It drives me crazy that lads are getting fouled right in front of linesmen and i have never seen them call it to the attention of the refs.

galwayfball (Galway) - Posts: 1678 - 29/07/2015 20:37:27    1761052

In fairness the standard of refereeing and umpiring in the GAA is pathetic.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 29/07/2015 20:38:25    1761054

I am not a fan of your style there Brolly!!! 'Pathetic' - not exactly in my opinion.

Yes there are definite inconsistencies against Mayo - and that is the main problem which counties are exploiting as the championships continue.
Look at Kerry last year in Limerick - a good example of exploiting the inconsistencies of a referee whose eye was on an All Ireland final...

The said referee seems to have been stood down after that and has made very few appearances since.

The umpiring is in general of a good standard. Its not easy standing at the post and those who do complain should do a few games and especially against the sun - with a high ball coming in - not very simple!!

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1821 - 29/07/2015 21:27:35    1761071

Mike Quirke has an excellent piece in today's Examiner on how teams with winners deal with poor refereeing decisions. This idea of standing referees down because of an incorrect decision is fine in theory but it only works if there are equally good and experienced referees ready to step up which isn't the case.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 29/07/2015 21:45:10    1761084

Soma, yes a great article by Mike Quirke yesterday, BUT did you notice the little dig he had at Joe McQuillan? Subtle increase of the pressure on Joe if he refs Kerry in the latter stages of the championship.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 30/07/2015 08:39:02    1761104

With all this technology in soccer and rugby why are people constantly complaining about the standard of refereeing in these two sports as well???

Even American Football with all the technology they complain about the standard of refs

Every era says its ref's are the worst, standard is poor and nothing is been done. When actually the opposite is the case.

Refs are stood down and taken off panels etc if they are not judged up to scratch.

Mayo were not good enough last year. Cork not good enough this year......so till people get to this fact and stop hiding behind a ref they will never be good enough.

There are three sure things in life:

1. Death
2. Taxes
3. People complaining about refs

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 30/07/2015 09:14:38    1761113

Only sport I can think of were refs are not held accountable for bad decisions. The goal of any ref should be to seem to remain anonymous on the pitch. All too often they decide GAA games with poor cards, soft frees and the added time in games makes no sence. say 2 min added how often is 2 min played??

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 30/07/2015 09:42:34    1761115

I never complain about the ref in Rugby. Sure some decisions I may disagree with but at least they usually consult the other officials and we can usually hear why a decision has been made.

2 bad decisions this year helped (and not entirely the reason) derry and cork make early exits. The kerry peno and Brendan rodgers getting a black card for TRIPPING HIMSELF!!!!

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 30/07/2015 09:44:43    1761116

Carlowman that same ref you talk about when a linesman disallowed a perfectly good for Roscommon against Sligo, was involved in a Roscommon player wrongly getting a black card against Sligo, when a ref gave Fermanagh a penalty which was in no way against Roscommon when he was referee and a number of other poor decisions in that game. In fact if the official's had done there jobs correctly in both those games i doubt Roscommon would have lost either.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 30/07/2015 10:41:36    1761129

The problem is that refereeing is a tough enough gig and then we introduce nonsense rules such as the black card to further complicate things and make it even harder.

I questioned a ref in a club game the other day about one of my players having his jersey tugged and he told me the rule book says it isnt a black card unless the player actually goes to ground, ie dragged to ground. Technically he is right, its a joke, its not actually a black card offence unless the fouled players goes to ground so we wonder why players are diving to the ground more and guess what trying to gain an advantage by feigning a foul is a yellow card offence.

So not only is tugging a players jersey not a black card unless the fouled player goes to ground, the fouled player is committing a yellow card offence by doing just that!

Is it any wonder the refereeing is poor with trying to enforce a multiple of rules that make no sense, the black card for example.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1336 - 30/07/2015 10:42:19    1761130

"The referee used his common sense and let a few mistimed tackles go, making an allowance for the conditions, but the players took this as their cue to take matters into their own hands and, eventually, violence broke out."

Not really commin sense considering what happened. Another example of what sounds like bad reffing. Ending a game with 3 min to go as he had no control of the game!!

DoireCityFC (Derry) - Posts: 1580 - 30/07/2015 12:55:18    1761184

You mean if they had sent off Collins and Kilbride Ros1?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 30/07/2015 13:13:46    1761199

Mayo were not good enough last year. Cork not good enough this year......so till people get to this fact and stop hiding behind a ref they will never be good enough.

So a team are two points up with seconds to go and one of the opposing players throws the ball into the net for the "winning" goal which the referee allows. The other team lose because they are not good enough.???

Llaw_Gyffes (Mayo) - Posts: 1113 - 30/07/2015 13:36:21    1761204