Pat McEnaney has been appointed referee for Saturday's All-Ireland football qualifier fourth round clash between Louth and Dublin at Croke Park.

His appointment will be viewed as the safe option after Louth were denied their first Leinster title in 53 years by a dreadful refereeing error by Tyrone referee Martin Sludden last Sunday week.

Long regarded as the game's top referee, it will be McEnaney's fourth assignment of this year's championship. The Monaghan official did have his decision to send off Graham Canty in the Munster semi-final replay between Cork and Kerry reversed by the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), but he has since handled the Dublin-Tipperary SFC qualifier.

Jimmy White also makes a quick return to action after his impressive handling of last Sunday's Connacht final between Roscommon and Sligo. The experienced Donegal whistler has been given the Monaghan-Kildare fourth round All-Ireland qualifier which will precede the Louth-Dublin clash.

As with McEnaney, it will be White's fourth appearance and keeps him among the favourites to officiate the All-Ireland final.

Laois' Maurice Deegan is also on course for a fourth game as he has been appointed for the Sligo-Down qualifier at Kingspan Breffni Park, while Armagh's Padraig Hughes is back in action for the first time since he took charge of the Meath-Dublin Leinster semi-final for the meeting of Limerick versus Cork at the Gaelic Grounds.

The busiest referees to date have been Galway's Gearoid O Conamha, another of the favourites for the All-Ireland final, Michael Duffy - brother of Marty, who refereed last year's decider between Kerry and Cork - and Cavan's Joe McQuillan. They have all refereed four matches. Tweet

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