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Eugene McGee: ‘Like we’d all love to tell a referee to f**k off, but you can’t do it’

The FRC chairman is hopeful that the new black card rule will help increase the respect for referees.

FRC CHAIRMAN EUGENE McGee believes that it is time for the GAA to follow the example set by their rugby counterparts and show greater respect for referees.

The introduction of the black card has commanded the headlines for the Football Review Committee’s work and McGee believes the new rule will help increase the respect for referees.

Under the new rules for Gaelic football, remonstrating with a match official is an offence punishable with a black card.

“Part of our remit with the Football Review Committee was to increase the prestige of referees and the respect for referees because it has been deteriorating”, says McGee.

“No matter what anyone says, there’s too many people abusing referees. Players, managers, spectators, everybody. This is the first step (to addressing that).

“The comparison is always made with rugby and this is a first attempt to try and rectify it because it’s not fair to referees, especially club referees.

“Like we’d all love to tell a referee to f**k off, but you can’t do it. It’s not fair for prominent players, maybe, to abuse them and call them all sorts of nasty names. That’s totally out.”

Here’s the 19 GAA players who were shown black cards over the weekend

8 GAA players who were glad to be back as the 2014 season started this weekend

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    Mute B Collins
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    Jun 26th 2022, 10:50 PM

    Won’t impact them really. Those are not huge losses. Munster v Wasps– now that was a squad decimated by COVID.

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    Mute whoowhat?
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    Jun 26th 2022, 10:36 PM

    Serious chance here lads

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    Mute Keith McCarthy
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    Jun 26th 2022, 10:47 PM

    @whoowhat?: you mean there’s a chance……

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    Mute SPQH
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:32 PM

    @whoowhat?: Eden Park, that would be historic altogether.

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    Mute daveyt
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:34 AM

    @Keith McCarthy: in llyod christmas’s world maybe

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    Mute Sean McCarthy
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:45 AM

    @daveyt: so you’re telling me there’s a chance ?

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    Mute daveyt
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    Jun 27th 2022, 1:52 AM

    @Sean McCarthy: too right mate, put a few shrimp on the barbie ;)

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    Mute SPQH
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:30 PM

    What do people make of those billboards they’ve put up anywhere the Irish team are due to go? Stinks of desperation if you ask me. Are the NZ team embarrassed by them or are they lacking confidence that they take solice in them? If anything they’re going to fuel the fire in the Irish camp, probably exactly what we need after Ulster and Leinster feeling a bit dejected after the URC exits.

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    Mute Doug Storms
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:49 PM

    @SPQH: billboards?

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    Mute Paul Kennedy
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:50 PM

    @SPQH: take it as a compliment and a laugh, Irish bookmakers have done same, but much witter and better. Its really a non story

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    Mute Phil O' Meara
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:54 PM

    @SPQH: A Kiwi gambling company TAB NZ behind this.

    Good luck to them provoking Paddy Power’s social media team!

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    Mute Paul Kennedy
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    Jun 26th 2022, 11:54 PM

    @Paul Kennedy: wittier*

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:28 AM

    @SPQH: i don’t think they matter much, if it generates a bit of rivalry and sells more tickets fair play, maybe is a compliment that NZ fans are taking Ireland seriously.

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    Mute SPQH
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:06 PM

    @Paul Kennedy: OK fair enough, didn’t realise it was a bookmakers that was behind it.

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    Mute Paul Mcnevin
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    Jun 27th 2022, 2:40 PM

    @Doug Storms: Yeah, 3 outside Missouri.

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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:36 AM

    Ireland can give back the players they robbed from new Zealand

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    Mute Sole Trader
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    Jun 27th 2022, 12:55 AM

    @Tony Mcgrath: and then New Zealand can give back all the players they robbed from Tonga, somoa etc it works both ways

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    Mute Harry O'Callaghan
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    Jun 27th 2022, 1:11 AM

    @Sole Trader: Australia & Scotland too.

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    Mute Cian Nolan
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    Jun 27th 2022, 7:33 AM

    @Tony Mcgrath: Ah c’mon. You can be more creative than “robbed”. Put some effort in man.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Jun 27th 2022, 8:15 AM

    @Tony Mcgrath: robbed? Like what they did to Isa?

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    Mute Macus Mc Mahon
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    Jun 27th 2022, 7:50 AM

    Getting Joe Schmidt on board reeks of desperation from Foster I think .

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Jun 27th 2022, 5:26 PM

    @Macus Mc Mahon: more like Feeks

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    Mute Maurice Egan
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    Jun 27th 2022, 10:23 AM

    All Blacks obviously taking a leaf out of the Tyrone playbook. Ireland beware .

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