Abuse of Referees

Yeah, it's either that or nothing else. It simply can't be more complex than two options.

Certainly could never have a situation where ambiguous language is used to protect a ref. Certainly not.

And past consistency in relation to the enforcement of rules/decisions has no bearing case to case. Surely, couldn't?

Was he left out to dry? Where was the drying?

Looks well protected to me. 2023 - two years into the inter-county job and has been given the Leinster final this weekend? Hung out to dry? Looks well backed to me. And I celebrate that. It's the right decision and an important development going forward for refs. But I can also see a decision that's wrong. And so can the cccc - maybe, now, after experience...

Nothing shaky about the grounds, there's already been two incidents of managers getting suspensions in the last two years. But only once in senior championship. And look at how that ref was treated because it was once again, from what I heard, the wrong decision but the cccc felt they had no choice but to publicly back the ref. Murphy, like a lot of refs, was leaking things to Fogarty because, like a lot of refs, they felt they had to get their side out to the public. But Murphy didn't get much after that until this season. The ref was ultimately punished. Now, maybe, just maybe, public language surrounding such cases and dealing with them, even if the ref is wrong or right, will be handled in an ambiguous manner. No wrong or right. No good or bad call. Contradiction... and rather than trying to punish the ref, they will support them to grow and learn from it. Because maybe, just maybe, the cccc have learned from it... and recent developments and voices of refs have been heard on this issue.

But, listen, it can only be right or wrong, like? Or is that just how you want it to be?

The public identity/image of refs in the GAA is in its infancy and it has a long way to go but this is a positive step forward - in that the situation was handled and the ref supported in the most important manner - not punished - but backed to grow and given a FINAL. Two years in and you can get a big final even if you've been... contradicted... I think this is a huge moment for refs. Protection and supported to grow.

Took me a while to arrive to this perspective but refs need to be protected and need to grow. What happened to Johnny Murphy last year was wrong. He was backed publicly and then hung out to dry privately. Punished. Everyone could see he wasn't getting the games after it. But I think he is being backed more now. There's been a change in attitude/action...

How do we back and protect refs in public and private in the GAA even when the decision is wrong is the ultimate question for the association going forward. Because it directly relates to attracting refs. That remains an ongoing learning process.

A referee who was knocked unconscious after being assaulted at a GAA match in Roscommon last year, has told a court that he now lives with anxiety and has lost all interest in GAA.

Kevin Naughton told Ballinasloe District Court that he been receiving counselling since the assault.

James Kenny, 40, with an address at Ballyforan, Co Roscommon, was charged with assaulting Mr Naughton at Ballyforan GAA grounds on 31 August 2022.

Mr Naughton, who had been officiating an under-17 match in Ballyfornan, outlined to the court that he had received "some abuse from the sideline" during the second half and went to deal with it.

He explained how he went to take a card out of his pocket when an official made contact with him and he was knocked to the ground.

He told the court he lost consciousness and woke up to a number of people helping him.

Mr Naughton told the court he could not move following the incident and an ambulance came and brought him to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

The court heard how the referee suffered neck and soft tissue injuries.

Mr Naughton told the court that he has lost all interest in the GAA and referring and has not been at a GAA grounds since the incident.

He told the court he suffers from anxiety, is receiving counselling and is on medication.

Judge James Faughnan was shown video footage of the incident which he described as "quite shocking" and said the charge in this case should be a Section 3 assault, which is a more serious charge of assault causing harm.

The court heard the DPP had accepted a Section 2 charge of assault in this case.

Garda Tony Brennan told the court that Mr Kenny had acknowledged his actions from the start and had expressed remorse.

He said Mr Kenny had co-operated throughout the investigation and also acknowledged that he should not have been on the field and should not have made contact with the referee.

He said Mr Naughton was fair and reasonable and was anxious the matter be dealt with in a way that was not stressful to anyone.

Judge Faughan said he was not accepting that this was a Section 2 assault.

He told Mr Kenny that the matter will be dealt with in the circuit court, saying "if I dealt with it today you would be going to prison for six months".

"Referees are protected and to see what this man has gone through. It's not about the injury, it's about the entirety of the injuries" Judge Faughnan said.

Defence solicitor Marie Conroy for Mahon Sweeney solicitors told the court that there was no intent by Mr Kenny, who had acknowledged there was contact with the referee.

Judge Faughnan adjourned the case until 27 July to allow for the preparation of a Book of Evidence.