McCarthy fears referee shortage will worsen

CARBERY Board Secretary Donal McCarthy has raised his concern that there won’t be enough referees to cope with the number of games that will be played in August and September 2018.

At the Carbery AGM last Friday night, there was genuine concern about the refereeing situation in general and this problem was set to get worse in 2018. 

McCarthy pointed out that the bulk of club games next season, under the new inter-county systems, will be played in August and September. 

Between county board games, divisional junior games, Rebel Óg games, ladies football and camogie, there could be up to 100 championship games a week scheduled. 

The same band of referees is catering for all boards and there will be a huge strain on pitches as well. 

He pointed out that ten of the 26 clubs in Carbery don’t provide any referees to the Board and that situation cannot be allowed to continue.

‘With the change at national level – the round robin in the senior hurling championship at All-Ireland level and the Super Eight in football at All-Ireland level – it will mean that the majority of our fixtures in Carbery and county voard will be played in the months of August and September. 

‘The question to be asked is will we have enough referees to referee our games? This should be of concern to the clubs,’ McCarthy said.

Also, the aging profile of the present band of referees was a worrying factor, while referees were now finding it very difficult to get umpires and linesmen to accompany them to matches. As a result, referees were opting for league matches instead of championship games. 

Clubs have an obligation not only to provide referees but to support their own existing referees.

McCarthy thanked the following Carbery clubs who are providing referees for championship fixtures: Clonakilty, Bantry Blues, Argideen Rangers, Dohenys, Bandon, St Mary’s, Kilbrittain, Gabriel Rangers, Kilmeen/Kilbree, Diarmuid Ó Mathunas, Goleen, Carbery Rangers, O’Donovan Rossa and Ilen Rovers.