Shortage of hurling referees a major problem
October 07, 2014
Fergus Smith takes charge on the senior hurling final.
Not for the first time over the last few months, Jimmy Henry raised the problem of the shortage of hurling referees in Meath at the October meeting of the County Committee in Navan.
"We have reached a crisis situation and if a few new referees are not found, some games will not take place next year. At the present time we have only seven or eight to take charge of hurling games," he said.
The former hurling and football referee pointed out that the referees for next Sunday's SHC and IHC finals are both registered with the Kilcock club.
TJ Reilly was critical of the lack of club minor and under-16 hurling matches but under-18 chairman John Kavanagh said a number of clubs gave walk-overs or withdrew.
There was criticism of minor championships starting so late in the year and John Kavanagh said it is no longer feasible to start them in April or May, like in past years, because of inter-county games in both codes in those months.
