There is a growing sense of frustration amongst Munster hurling referees over a lack of All-Ireland final opportunities, according to Limerick whistler Pat O'Connor.

O'Connor, who has three Liam MacCarthy finals on his CV, is vice-chairman of the Munster referees committee and he has questioned the GAA's appointment process following the news that Offaly's Brian Gavin will take charge of this September's clash between Kilkenny and Tipperary.

"James Owens is relatively new on the block and last year was his first one," O'Connor pointed out to The Examiner.

"The majority of the finals have gone to the two Westmeath lads (Barry Kelly and James McGrath) and Brian Gavin. I'm not knocking Brian - he's a very good referee - but there needs to be a fairer distribution because it's been Leinster non-stop more or less for the last 10 years and more.

"Going back over the years, some fine Munster referees have been overlooked. Johnny Ryan certainly was. Fergal Horgan from Tipperary is coming up the ranks and is doing well. John Sexton was certainly overlooked and got a raw deal as far as I'm concerned. Nobody is entitled to get an All-Ireland final but I felt he was good enough and Johnny Ryan should have got one either last year or 2013. There just seems to be a blessed trinity there.

"In my time, there was a better spread of referees but it seems to be gone and it's not good for the game as I see it."

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