Margaret Farrelly is the only lady referee in Cavan right now who regularly takes charge of mens matches. She hopes to do it for many more years to come . . . .at increasingly higher levels too! It all started back at club level of course. Everything does in the GAA. But where Maggie Farrelly's refereeing career takes her nobody knows and the lady herself has no idea. At the present time, she forecasts that she'll still be refereeing this time next year, God willing. For the Laragh lass is committed to the long haul; to honing her refereeing skills and officiating in both the mens and ladies games in the long term. It goes without saying that Maggie is someone who is not half noticed when she takes charge of underage and adult matches in the mens' sphere. She's the only lady currently refereeing mens matches on behalf of Cavan GAA County Board. Last year she refereed a number of ACFL Division 2A matches and came through them with flying colours. But what prompted her to take up the whistle? "I was involved in doing some coaching at national school level and I felt that refereing would give me a better understanding of underage football, especially the tackle. "I thought it would benefit my coaching ability and benefit those I was coaching. Having a knowledge of refereeing and coaching would compliment one another, I felt." Now over four years down the line since she first blew the whistle in anger, Maggie has amassed quite a bit of experience as the woman in the middle. Apart from refereeing mens and women matches at club level in Cavan, Maggie also has the distinction of refereeing at inter-county level in the womens game. Her handling of the Dublin 'B' versus Mayo 'B' game last year added greatly to her c.v. Ironically she has garnered just as much experience at inter-county level as she has at club level over the past 12 months because of her loyalty to Laragh ladies football team. Still her experience of keeping the peace among sometimes warring males hasn't put her off the job of refereeing. Her first mens match, she remembers, was a reserve fixture between Lacken Celtic and Kildallan which took place on the Wednesday after the pitch in Ballyconnell was officially opened. Kildallan won the match and Maggie won another batch of admirers. Most people would imagine that ladies football matches would present less of a challenge for a referee who's a member of the fairer sex but Maggie maintains that she has experienced no more difficulty in keeping control of matches involving men. "I've found the fellas very respectful and they've shown little or no dissent for the most part. "I have gotten a bit of a slagging from supporters when they see me running out onto the pitch but they soon get used to me." But what of the comparisons to be drawn from refereeing ladies football at varying levels. Is refereeing on the inter-county scene much more demanding/enjoyable than officiating at club level? "I don't have a preference but with inter-county matches, you're obviously dealing with players who are playing a higher standard of football and who are more professional in their approach than what you'd normally come across at club level. "You'd be concious of the fact that the players have probably trained two or three times the week of the match and you don't want to mess things up for them by making a glaring mistake or two." With regard to a referee's fallability, Maggie is reminded of the incident in last year's ladies senior football championship clash between Armagh and Cork when the Orchard County lost a defender to the sin bin and promptly conceded 1-1 while their corner-back was off the field. "I thought the sin-binning of their player was harsh on Armagh and the loss of their player made a huge difference." Interestingly, Maggie was present in Croke Park on the day in question when Armagh fell short of beating the Rebels. For the past three years in fact, Maggie acted as a lineswoman on All-Ireland final day. She was on duty on the undercard of the Armagh v Cork clash when Sligo and Leitrim ladies featured in the All-Ireland JFC final. "Maybe I'm being biased because being from Ulster I wanted Armagh to win and even lady referees are only human," Maggie quips. One wonders what's Maggie's take on the sin-bin rule, considering the GAA dispensed with the idea of bringing it in on a full-time basis after a trial period a couple of years ago? "I would be a fan of it generally," she replies. "I think it would be an excellent idea to introduce it into the mens game. "If it came in, players would be more disciplined and if they got in trouble with the referee they could be sin-binned and allowed to settle themselves, get their mind right again and possibly come onto the field again a more disciplined player." In reflecting back on her teething years as a referee, Maggie says her grinding at Bord na nOg level has held her in good stead. However it hasn't always be a bed of roses though, not so much with the young 'uns but with their adult companions! "Like every single other referees, I've been treated to a bit of verbal abuse but the most I've ever got was at underage level when you'd hear things that wouldn't be so nice from parents or some of those along the line connected with the teams." And how to deal with it? "With a nod and a smile," replies the Letterkenny-based student. Has she ever sent any player off yet? "No, not yet and I don't want to either!" She has booked the current Cavan team-manager though. Donal Keoghan and his Arva opponent saw yellow in a reserve game under Maggie's watch. "I tend to approach refereeing in a positive manner anyway. "I've enjoyed my time refereeing so far and I've met a lot of people I probably wouldn't have otherwise." Maggie was born and reared in a Gaelic games-friendly household in which her father Paddy - a former player with Stradone pre-Laragh Utd days - was a central figure in encouraging her interest in our native games. Over the years she has also been encouraged greatly in her sporting endeavours by her mother Kathleen and her uncle John. In truth though, Maggie has had an innate gra for the big ball game for as long as she can remember. In her days at Laragh National School, she learned the rudiments of the game under the stewardship of former Cavan star Donal Donoghue with Friday evening training sessions a staple part of the kids' extra-curriculum activities. Maggie was inveigled and coaxed into the business of refereeing by Laragh club colleague Thomas McKenna who had doubtless been impressed by her professionalism in taking charge of ladies football and camogie matches. In agreeing to train to be a referee, Maggie followed in the footsteps of such as Phil Devine in representing the Stradone-based club in the refereeing stakes. "I was a bit apprehensive about taking up refereeing because I didn't want to let anyone down," Maggie explains. These days, Maggie looks to such experienced whistlers as Cavan Gaels clubman Brian Crowe for inspiration. She admires the fact that Crowe made it to the very top last year when refereeing the All-Ireland SFC final between Mayo and Kerry. And with the support of her clubmen and women, Maggie is hopeful that she can continue to learn and improve as a referee of some ambition. "We've all got goals and I'd love to get to the stage where I was refereeing mens championship matches in Cavan first of all. "That would be a lot of progress on my part and, who knows, inter-county matches could follow further down the line." Don't bet against it happening for Maggie. Tweet

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