http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=137940

I see the Louth Co Board are still moaning about M.Sludden - is it not time to move on ?
What do they want - for the man never to ref again ?
I certainly agree Louth were very hard done by but is it not old news at this stage ?

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1186 - 02/11/2010 16:20:09    808004

This was started as a new thread but moved here to keep all relevant discussion in the one place

National 12Royal
Posts: 769
Meath
02/11/2010 16:29
The return to action of controversial Leinster final referee Martin Sludden has not gone down too well in the Wee County with an official hitting out at the Ulster Council for appointing him to handle a provincial club game. The Tyrone referee was back in the limelight for the first time since Louth lost out in controversial circumstance to neighbours Meath in the Leinster final. The decision to let Joe Sheridan's injury time winning goal stand after the Meath man carried the ball across the line still infuriates many in the Wee County. Sludden admitted his error in the days following the game but there has been little forgiveness given the tone of Monday night board meeting in Louth. 'A pure joke' is how Roche Emmets delegate Brian McCoy described the return to intercounty action of the Leinster final referee, after the subject came up as county board chairman Padraic O'Connor's spoke about plans to regulate umpires in the future. However, improving the standard of umpires didn't please O'Connor's audience as it was pointed out to him in no uncertain terms that it was not the umpires who cost Louth the Leinster final but rather the decision of the referee who decided not to consult with them. Criticism on the evening did not end with matters relating to Sludden, as the International Rules Series came in for a bashing. O'Connor was critical of the IRS and claimed it added nothing to the concept of Gaelic football. Additionally, the decision of Anthony Tohill and his management team not to give All Star Paddy Keenan more time on the field of play also evoked the ire of the chairman. Some Louth people are so sad. Will they just stop whinging and looking for sympathy. RTE and all the newspapers give it to them in spades and the only reason Paddy Keenan got the All-Star was because it was a sympathy award.And to give out that Paddy Keenan didn't ''get enough time on the pitch'' for the Ireland is laughable. He was lucky enough to get on he team in the first place as there were some players who didn't get on the team who should have(e.g MD McCauley) He got as much time as anyone else on the panel and if any Louth ''supporters'' bothered to go to Croke Park or Limerick they would realise there are players coming on and off the whole time as nobody except Steven Cluxton stayed on for the rest of the game. They probobaly didn't go to Croke Park because they were probobaly haunted by looking at the goals at the Canal End. And does anybody now if Brian White is still seeing visions while he sleeps of Joe Sheridan smiling after the game.

Administrator (None) - Posts: 2275 - 02/11/2010 16:36:42    808027

This was started as a new thread but moved here to keep all relevant discussion in the one place
National gigoer
Posts: 47
Wexford
02/11/2010 16:34
I see Sludden is back for a provincial club game, much to the disgruntlemnt of some Louth County board members. But what's the alternative? Should he have quit refereeing for ever? Would it have been correct not to allow him to be a referee anymore? The man made a mistake, yes I know, a monumental mistake and Louth have my commiserations as much as anyone, but at the end of the day he is a human being and we all make mistakes. Perhaps club refereeing is the way to go for him rather than full on championship matches to avoid future bad taste. But surely it's time to live with it and move on

Administrator (None) - Posts: 2275 - 02/11/2010 16:37:44    808030

Think most people have, well they certainly bloody should at this stage, life goes on.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/11/2010 16:46:36    808043

Fair play to him returning to action i wish him all the best , and the louth county board still never punished the poeple that attacked that poor man , and he like everyone made a mistake pat mac made a mistake kildare v down cost kildare the final nobody whinging bout that .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/11/2010 16:47:38    808045

Very sludden if you ask me...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 02/11/2010 16:48:37    808047

This was started as a new thread but as one already exists it has been incorporated here.

Dellboypolecat
Posts: 13391
Tyrone
02/11/2010
16:42

Sludden return labelled 'a joke' at Louth board

The return to action of controversial Leinster final referee Martin Sludden has not gone down too well in the Wee County with an official hitting out at the Ulster Council for appointing him to handle a provincial club game. The Tyrone referee was back in the limelight for the first time since Louth lost out in controversial circumstance to neighbours Meath in the Leinster final. The decision to let Joe Sheridan's injury time winning goal stand after the Meath man carried the ball across the line still infuriates many in the Wee County. Sludden admitted his error in the days following the game but there has been little forgiveness given the tone of Monday night board meeting in Louth. 'A pure joke' is how Roche Emmets delegate Brian McCoy described the return to intercounty action of the Leinster final referee reported LMFM Radio. The subject came up as county board chairman Padraic O'Connor's spoke about plans to regulate umpires in the future. However, improving the standard of umpires didn't please O'Connor's audience as it was pointed out to him in no uncertain terms that it was not the umpires who cost Louth the Leinster final but rather the decision of the referee who decided not to consult with them

Firstly am glad to see martin sludden back in action fair play to him he made a human error , second the louth county board have not punished there players or supporters for there actions after the game and the disgracefull scenes they would not condone , me personally hope they get good beatings next year as county board are suppose to stand up to things like this , and maybe they should look more in the things that is happening in the club scene in louth this year instead of martin sludden , welcome back to reffing .

Administrator (None) - Posts: 535 - 02/11/2010 16:54:27    808057

"Sluddenly.... I'm not half the ref I used to be...There's a louth fan chasing after me... ohhh yesterday came Sluddenly"

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 02/11/2010 17:04:23    808068

sure your glad Dellboypolecat - sure your back referring now!!!!!!

sirwinsalot (Louth) - Posts: 82 - 02/11/2010 17:07:05    808076

Was just about to start a thread on this, completely time to move on.

I cant believe Louth are making such an issue of this. The referee has admitted he got the decision wrong, completely time to move on. Louth are showing themselves in a bad light, showing them to be a bunch of sore losers. If they let the defeat consume them whole they will never win nothing. We were wronged similarly v KK in 1991 but we didnt start chasing a ref around the pitch (I'd say not many in Wexford remember his name, I dont anyway!) and learned from the defeat and won an All-Ireland 5 years later. I couldnt see the same happening with Louth because I'd imagine that same bitterness will still be there in 5 years with them still talking about it.

Disappointing for all concerned with football in the Wee county to be going on like this, I used to like them once upon a time.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 02/11/2010 17:12:32    808085

and the louth county board still never punished the poeple that attacked that poor man

Not true. Lots of suspensions have been handed out within the county to lads who approached Sludden in Croke Park that day.

That said, I dont think dragging it up at the CB meeting 4 months later was beneficial to anybody.
He wasn't nor is he ever likely to be, appointed to ref Louth or any Louth clubs in the future.
Time to move on Im afraid, there are bigger issues within the county which should be addressed at CB meetings ,instead of wasting time talking about officials & previous bad calls.

pundit2 (Louth) - Posts: 597 - 02/11/2010 17:17:16    808098

12 royal i know you only being a wum and i am playing into it but i just couldn't let it go. Paddy Keenan is currently the best midfielder in the country, if the was any debate about the allstars it had to be about the the decision to give Walsh an all star. Keenan was man of the match in four of the five championship games we played this year, if anything we were hard done by in the allstars, John o brien should have got one for the displays he put in against James Kavanagh and Bernard Brogan, keeping the later to just two points only one of them from play which he got in the final minutes of the game.

Louth Gael (Louth) - Posts: 1227 - 02/11/2010 17:17:22    808099

just to clear a few things up............... the views expressed at the county board meeting are not those of the louth county board or the people of louth, they are simply the views of one delegate that is clearly still irate over the whole incident. in fairness to the louth county board the cooperated fully with the croke park investigation and named all those that made contact with the referee.
on a side note maybe it would be better if Martin Sludden never took charge of an inter county game because a. he is not fit enough for that level and b. he proved in the leinster final that when the heat came on he paniced instead of consulting his officials. this is not intended as a slight on the man, he may indeed be a nice man but when there is so much at stake you cant afford to get things that badly wrong.
you cant compare pat mac enaneys mistake with martin sluddens... the square ball rule has always been controversial, every weekend you will see decisions like that debated up and down the country. in the leinster final there was 3 fouls one after another, a square ball, a head down and dive towards the line(charging) and a ball thrown into the net and the ref seen none of them which for me at inter county level in unacceptable.

on a brighter note i would like to wish brian white mick fanning and john o brien all the best as they embark on a trip to australia, they will be sorely missed for next years leinster campgain...

louthandproud (Louth) - Posts: 40 - 02/11/2010 17:21:08    808103

louthandproud I heard about the suspenions louth county board handed one lad got 8 weeks another got 3 months now that is a joke for attacking a ref and if you think there big bans you seriously need to wake up . A point was not giving in the first half down v kildare when clearly it was over and one of the umpires was a ref , the square ball is still in the rules no matter if ball was threw in to the net or a square both in the rule book state free out, Am delighted he is back because poeple have no right like the louth county board if a man can ref or not and that is the ulster councill , or croke parks job , Move on the man made a mistake .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/11/2010 17:34:21    808122

Louthandproud - fair comments.
I have to agree with earlier comments re all-star and Walsh - Keenan in my opinion did deserve one ahead of him.

BigSur (Westmeath) - Posts: 1186 - 02/11/2010 17:38:31    808131

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 6978

808047 Very sludden if you ask me...

Genius!!

Seriously but, the man made a very bad call. Hopefully he learns from it and becomes a better referee for it.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13811 - 02/11/2010 17:42:29    808142

While I'm disgusted by Louth's complaining and inability to get over it I'm of the view that Sludden should never referee again. In my opinion he's let himself and his county down and the best thing he could do is retire with immediate effect. The standard of refereeing in general in the GAA is poor but he took it to a new low. How can any player have any respect for him in a match.

pplocal (Tyrone) - Posts: 5878 - 02/11/2010 17:45:27    808146

dellboypolecat, its honourable that your sticking up for one of your own and i hope your as diplomatic if it happens to tyrone, i remember the fuss tyrone created when charlie redmond wasnt sent off in 1995...... its tough when your starved of sucess and something like that happens.... but again the view and headlines are not those of the louth county board. i personally was disgusted with what happened after the game. i can assure you that all of thise involved were probably at a louth game for the first time that year... us debating the matter to death wont change anything meath are the leinster champions 2010 and it up to the group f players we have to try and rectify it next year.

louthandproud (Louth) - Posts: 40 - 02/11/2010 17:50:23    808158

louthandproud Yes i believe we where robbed in 95 but no supporters attacked the ref that day , louth fans did and the louth county board should have give them life not 8 to 12 weeks .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/11/2010 17:55:26    808169

PomeroyPlunkett Ah i seen him few weeks ago making a good job of a game got all the big calls correct , like i said he is ok as a ref and am glad he is back in action ,

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/11/2010 17:57:47    808173