THE GAA’S NATIONAL Referees Committee will review the time-keeping issues which cropped up in various Allianz Football League games over the weekend.
Monaghan boss Seamus McEneaney, Galway supremo Padraic Joyce and Meath manager Andy McEntee all spoke out in frustration after their respective Division 1 ties ended with disputes over time-keeping.
Six minutes of additional time was announced by the fourth official at the end of the Dublin-Monaghan game, but Ciaran Branagan allowed it rumble on until the 80th minute after several stoppages and two substitutions during that period, much to the annoyance of McEneaney.
Joyce was unhappy that the Tribesmen’s clash against Donegal dragged on until the 78th minute. Five minutes of injury-time was indicated but a stoppage for an accidental collision between Donegal players saw almost three further minutes added on.
And McEntee was furious that nothing more than the allotted four minutes of injury-time was played despite an injury to a Mayo player which delayed the play in the added period.
Bryan Walsh went down with an injury in the 72nd minute at Pairc Tailteann and received treatment.
And play resumed over 30 seconds later, but no extra time was added on to the four minutes indicated.
After the game, an irate McEntee declared there’s “one rule for the Dublins, and the bigger names in this world, and it’s a different rule for everybody else.”
National Referees Committee chairman Willie Barrett said the Royals boss was right to feel aggrieved that the play didn’t continue beyond the 74th minute.
“If there’s any stoppage within the four minutes then you have to add additional time onto that for it to make up for the 30 seconds, or if it was a substitution – whatever it was,” Barrett told The42.
“That is the standard situation in applying the extra time to injuries or to any deliberate delays or whatever.
“I haven’t seen it yet but we will certainly look at all the games over the weekend where there was extra time added on, an alleged stoppage and not enough time added on. We will certainly look at that.”
Barrett confirmed that Branagan was correct in playing nine and a half minutes of added time at the end of Saturday’s draw in Croke Park. He explained that referees were instructed at a pre-league seminar to closely monitor deliberate rundowns of the clock.
He used the example of the All-Ireland club final where Corofin engaged in delaying tactics in stoppage-time, but the game was allowed run for an extra few minutes which resulted in Kilcoo forcing extra-time.
“We’ve actually told our referees to be strong on this and to apply any further time that would be required to deal with those issues,” he said.
“There’s no doubt about it the clock is being ran down and referees are dealing with that by adding on time.”
He explained that it’s at the referee’s discretion how much time to add on for each substitution, depending on how long it takes.
“If you have a substitution within that announced added-time period, then the referee is obliged to add on time and of course, any stoppages for injury or deliberate delays.
“The referee stops his watch when the substitution is called and when the player has entered the field of play and play is allowed to start the watch restarts.
“And I think that’s where the extra time is coming from, in general in the matches. But they have been instructed to add on extra time at all stages.
“We all have noted that the games are running six, seven, eight and maybe nine minutes – as we had on Saturday night – to the normal 70 minutes and particularly you’ll notice nearly always in the second-half. Not so much in the first-half unless there’s serious injury. More substitutes come on in the second-half of the game.”
It prompted calls for the GAA hierarchy to take the time-keeping out of referees’ hands and introduce the model used in Ladies football, which features a countdown and hooter system.
The Tipperary native said the inter-county referees “have given no indication or stated at any meeting that it would be a good idea” for another official to take over time-keeping duties.
“It hasn’t come up yet, but I suppose everything is open…the book is open. I suppose if we see a situation that happened over the weekend and in previous weekends, obviously the referee has an awful lot on his plate now to take in.
“But we certainly haven’t at our level during my time as chairman of the referees for the last three years we haven’t had any discussion with referees about the clock certainly. But that’s for other people within the Association to make that decision.”
Meanwhile, David Clifford’s controversial red card, which occurred after the Kerry captain was engaged in a wrestling match and dragged to the ground by his marker Ben McDonnell, was the biggest talking point from the weekend’s action.
On the advice of his umpires, referee Fergal Kelly brandished a second yellow for Clifford and booked McDonnell for their roles in the incident.
“At all times we would stress the importance of penalising the offender and if that means booking one player singly fair enough,” said Barrett. “If it means booking both players, so be it.
“But we’re strong on the belief that’s important for all officials to be vigilant in penalising off the ball fouling. I have to stress as well, we like to see all the players protected and should be by rule.”
Barrett added that referees are “absolutely aware” about the issue of key players being targeted when they’re on a yellow card and vulnerable to being sent-off in a similar manner to Clifford.
“When a player is on a yellow card, particularly a high-profile lad and very good player, would definitely be targeted, no question about it. Referees would be fully aware of that, there’s no doubt about that, and their officials.
“That would be part of the talk in the dressing room prior to the game in relation to finding any early off the ball incidents and dealing with them at an early stage in the game.”
Former Armagh forward Oisin McConville said on BBC radio yesterday that Croke Park’s system of officiating which allows referees to bring in friends as umpires “as part of a nice day out” should be overhauled.
He added that up and coming referees should be put as part of umpiring teams instead, but Barrett disagrees.
“I’ve always had a belief from back in our time that umpiring is a specialist job and I do not at all agree that ex-referees would all make good umpires.
“Now we have some ex-referees in the GAA at present doing umpiring and we also have club referees in the GAA doing umpiring for inter-county referees. But you have to be trained as an umpire to be able to take in all the action that’s happening at all times.
“I see it as being a non-runner, to be honest with you. You also have to remember that the referee has his four umpires at club level with him and it’s from there he progresses to the national panel with those umpires.
“We do know that a referee might have to make changes to his umpiring team to ensure he has the best, and they do that. For that reason alone, if you like his umpires play a part in getting him onto the national stage and I do believe he should stick with his umpires that brought him that level, provided they are up to the required standard.
“In 2019, we ran umpire seminars in Croke Park, highlighting all the different aspects of games and what might happen and we had a very big attendance at those seminars.”
Finally, Barrett said there is little referees can do around some teams exploiting the head injury rule to enforce a stoppage of the game.
“The problem we have at refereeing level is that when a player goes down in football they will claim it’s a head injury and the referee is powerless to restart the game. He must ensure the medics look at that player in the interest of health and safety.
“We trust the players. The referee cannot take a chance on that if a player goes down and says he has a head injury. The referee isn’t qualified to make a judgement call on that, he has to call the medics and the doctor on duty has to assist in that regard. What he can do though is he can ask the doctor as to the precise nature of the injury.
“If the doctor tells him it’s a head injury then he’s obliged to stop the game. But if the doctor or whatever medical personnel tells him that it’s not, well then he can say that he’s playing on.”
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So… referees are fully aware that key players are targeted… yet this referee sent Clifford off anyway? Ref needs to be sanctioned. Awful decision.
@lambda sensor: Clifford’s sending off was pure Mickey Harte tactics, take out the man who could cost you the game. It’s the Tyrone backroom team who should be sent off.
@lambda sensor: not Refs, Tyrone backroom team for getting Clifford sent off
To be fair, if a ref or an umpire only sees the scuffle after it’s started how are they to know who started it. Really unfair on refs or umpires. It’s getting to the stage a second ref on the field would be of great benefit.
@Brian: there’s a very high percentage chance that the forward in this case didn’t start it. Why would he? He’s playing well, he’s on a card and even though he’s a young lad he comes across as a very mature player & is the team captain. Right or wrong since a ball was first thrown in a corner back is going to make a new marker welcome or if it’s a new defender he’s going to let the forward know he’s on. If those umpires don’t know that, they have no right to be in that position
@my name: I agree wholeheartedly but you can’t book or send somebody off based on paercentages. It would be open season for corner forwards. Do they have 2 refs in Aussie rules??
@my name: Clifford is captain by default let’s not forget. If Kerry were like every other county would he be captain? I doubt it. If you can find one criticism with Clifford it’s that he does get in involved and bites back, I’d say he’s yet to mature as a player. He done himself no favours with his reaction to being sent off. The person I feel sorry for in all this is Peter harte, exact same thing happens him and there will be no mention of it
@Brian: but those percentages is basically was the referee committee is talking about when saying “stand out players are targeted” (words to that effect). While I’m all for referees going by the book, in cases like this they really need to use common sense. Clifford in this case has absolutely nothing to gain while he’s on a card
@Mel Roberts: the original post I replied to made no mention of Harte though Mel so neither did I.
However, if as you say the same thing happened I didn’t see it on the Sunday Game last night and the programme made no reference to it, then there is also a case to be answered in PH’s defence as obviously he’s a key player for Tyrone too. But let’s be honest about this, both players were told to act in the way they did to get a reaction from Clifford & Harte. Surely that’s a bigger issue
@my name: Johnny Cooper does it, Philly McMahon does it, Ronan McNamee does it, Ryan mcmenamen made a career out if it. Every single team has a player that will do anything to get a reaction out of opposition players. It’s not something new and it’s not just a problem with one county. I don’t really know how they can stamp out this kind of thing to be honest, and sometimes forwards are every bit as bad as the defenders, Clifford can dish it out as well
@Mel Roberts: look I’m a fully paid up member of the corner back club Mel and I’ve certainly made a forward welcome into the game, never made county though. You’re given a license to do it though Mel. I’m not blaming Mickey or Peter Keane on inventing this, like you say every team has that player, but officials need to know what the dogs on the street know
@my name: the problem is half these refs have never kicked ball or they are too worried about ticking off boxes for assessors
@Mel Roberts: the only proof we have about Peter Harte’s supposed injustice is your “unbiased” opinion. There is video evidence of what happened in the Clifford incident, which is clear as day.
@Mel Roberts: that’s the problem and most can’t keep up with the play for the most part
@Billy Boy: there’s nothing supposed about it, Peter hartes tracking back and Kerry defender decides to mount him and drag him to the ground. Just because the cameras didn’t pick it up doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. If anything the Peter harte one was even more clear cut.
@Mel Roberts: Mel you are a f&&king clueless idiot, stay off this site and let the adults do the talking
@Brian: at elite level (ie The AFL) there are three umpires/referees on the pitch at all times. At club level that can be three as well but it can also be two depending on availability.
Refs have a thankless job. But when they enforce the rules they are crticized for ruining the game . Unfortunately people say let them use common sense and then u get 2 different views on the same tackle. Play to the rule book like in rugby no interpretation
@john s: They look like a shower that were released for week end. Did any of them ever play football, certainly none of them played County Football. They are all lads that would not get on Junior B teams at home, hanging around club rooms and someone sent them on a ” Referees” course to save the club a penalty for not having a Referee.
@john s: sure the rugby lads are always talking about referees interpreting rules in different ways and inconsistencies. It’s the same in every sport.
@Eugene Comaskey: They’re people who love the game. Perhaps ask the GPA why no former IC players are refs. The same 5 or 6 refs do the vast majority of games where I’m from, you see in the local paper that they sometimes do 2 or 3 games per weekend
Cathal mcshane got a nice welcome from the Kerry full back when he came on on Sunday
Some of them umpires have hardly played junior B football & they’re making stupid decisions on lads that have trained hard for years to get where they are. I’m not saying that you have to have played inter county to be an official but it definitely helps to have played at some level to understand what’s going on out on the field rather than being a buddy of the ref. The gaa need to have a serious look at the quality of umpires, some of them are like guys in high viz vests looking to make a name for themselves.
@Danny McCarthy: having umpired myself for a few years and played at a high level, I would say it has very little to do with the level you’ve played at. Easy to spot things on instant replays and from the stands but counter intuitively it’s much harder the closer you get to the action.
Introduce a straight black for dirty off ball stuff directed at people on cards. It’s an attempt at cheating to heavily influence a game’s outcome.
Players like David Clifford are just wasting their talent and skills playing Gaelic Football. He is still young enough to pack in GF and switch to a game where his ability will be financially rewarded
@Maurice Egan: Far more skill in Gaelic football than Aussie rules
At least an additional……
What does this IDIOT mean by ” deliberate rundown of the clock”". If a team who is winning by a point into injury time and they decide to give the ball back to the ‘keeper and he tricks around with , maybe like a soccer ‘ keeper, on the ground, gives it back to a back about two metres away, gives it back to the ‘ keeper etc etc, is that not deliberate rundown of the clock. What Bullshit from this Clown. This crack of adding on time only started in last year or two, time for the Hooter. Referees can actually determine who wins games, and this happened in Croker the other night .
@Eugene Comaskey: there’s time wasting when the ball is dead Eugene, when the ball is in ball that’s game management and that’s part of the game
@Eugene Comaskey: between 71 and 74 minutes, the ball was not in play (check the tape). Time wasting on a free by Monaghan ‘keeper, there was scuffles off the ball and cards handed out. Refs are right to add that back on. Else it encourages time wasting which would be a disaster for the game.
@lambda sensor: I would say that “the game” is well beyond disaster stage, kicking and hand passing the ball backwards is time wasting. Referees – maybe they should change that name to something else – , are the Biggest problems with games. Some tackles in that Dublin game were dot deemed as Frees and some very minor ones were given. Again I say, hardly any of them Refs ever played football , they went to courses and listened to Looneys issuing instructions , and they themselves hadn’t a clue. I happen to know, I was there, I heard them spoofing .