Abuse of Referees

You said more than once ?

We have shown the one Zetec mentioned...

In Wicklow abuse of referees has left the County Board with a shortage of refs. They decided for u10 and u11 matches that the home team should supply the ref.

This just simply isn't working. The bias shown by hometown refs is beyond belief. Their general lack of knowledge of the rules or turning a blind eye to obvious dangerous play is going to end up with kids seriously hurt.

One match I attended resulted in the "referee" blowing for the first foul 10 mins from the end of the match. This was only as a result of parents going mad on the side line as one player got shouldered in the back as he went to pick the ball and when falling a second player came in from the side with a shoulder to the face resulting in an u11 spread motionless on the ground for5 or 10 seconds. "Ref" waved play on untill pulled up on it.

The wild pulling and chopping in hurling is been let go by refs who think they are letting the game flow. Again I saw a proper punch up of 2 u11 players as one was constantly being dangerously chopped and swung at. He asked the ref to blow for these fouls and was ignored. This ended up in another few wild chops before himself losing the rag.

This " ah sure you go on and ref this one" is putting the kids in danger by people who are incapable of controlling a game and sheer bias.

This is all directly as a result of trained refs being constantly abused from the sideline ( my own club included)

It seems the ref may have erred in throwing the ball up and allowing the game to restart, but it is only of academic import. Once the Balliagleary team refused to return to the field of play, despite the ref giving them ample opportunity, the game was ceded.

Ballinaglearly were trying to pull a fast one, looking to make their opponents wait on the field while they took advantage of extra time in the changing room. They looked for an unfair advantage and got rightly called up on it by the ref. THe bloody cheek of them to them complain to the ref that he had done something wrong, when they themselves had been acting like complete idiots show the contempt they have not only for the ref, but for their opponents and for the rules of the game and for the spirit of fairness.

So whether he let the other team have the ball to at least run down the pitch is irrelevant.

So they were arguing about nothing. Which is why I find the comment that 'they don't help themselves' seems like you are blaming the ref.

Does anybody honestly believe that had the ref simply abandoned the game, without the restart like he did, that Ballinagleary would have simply accepted the consequences and shook hands? THe ref was in an impossible situation and to point to the fact that he may have erred in the implementation of an obscure and rarely used rule, seems to be placing the blame on the wrong person.

Well done to the ref for sticking to their position. Ballinagleary had ample time to get back on the field, but decided to act the b0lli£ and got rightly called for it.

The match was an evening match. Referees tend to be stern over the time allowed at HT.

Depending on light conditions it can get dark very fast. I am not sure what time the start was but it can be getting dark on a dull evening after 9 pm.

I was involved a few years ago and it was not unusual for a Referee to say we will turn fast at HT( meaning stay on the pitch no going into dressing rooms) or on a dark evening ( more likely in April/ early May than now ask if it was ok to do 25 minutes/ side.

This was a league final and Ballinaglera decided they did not need to heed the referees Instructions.

Whether the referee was right or wrong it was up to Ballinaglera not to abuse him to continue the match and lodge any objections afterwards

Academic in that the game would have had to be abandoned anyway, given Ballinagleary repeated refusal to return to the field of play.

They did refuse. They were requested to return, numerous times, and they didn't. What is that but a refusal? It may have been in an attempt to get a longer HT, or in the erroneous belief that HT was 15 minutes, but they refused to accede to the Ref's request to return to the field.

Yes, it would appear the ref was wrong in throwing the ball in. But again, due to their refusal to take to the field, the game was already over so what he did once he blew the whistle was academic. The game was effectively over once the ref had decided that Ballinagleary had failed to return to the field of play.

It was a direct causation. The game should have been abandoned when the ref decided that Ballinagleary had been given sufficient time to return to he field of play. They can't just expect that everyone else needs to wait around until they are ready.

Ah yes, give them another 30 secs. Sure why not? He had already given them warnings, asked them to return, waited for them, and warned them again. But he should have waited another 30 secs? No, Ballinagleary should have sorted themselves out and got back on the pitch in time.

If every team is coming out late that is down to a lack of control by the ref. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be done in this case. Everyone else is doing it is not a defence. I agree that the ref inflamed the situation by throwing the ball in. He should have simply abandoned the game. Walked off. But inflamed is the key point. This is a situation completely at the feet of Ballinagleay. you continue to want to blame the ref, I don't understand why.

You seem to want to ignore the fact that Ballinaclealy refused to return to the field of play. Thus signalling they did not want to contest the second half. That is all the ref is privy too. He has no idea why they are not coming out, and neither should it matter. They were then given the opportunity to retake the field, but again refused. That they had a reason to refuse to return is not relevant as there were no safety of player welfare issues. Thus they had no legitimate grounds on which to refuse. But refuse they did. They refused until such time as they deemed they were ready. To hell with the rules ar the warnings from the ref.

And the ref did all that you said. He requested they come out. They refused. One minute ref, turned into another minute, and another. And you yourself wanted another 30 seconds.

This is 100% on Ballinagleary. I am not reaching for any angle. People are looking for excuses for them. But the facts are clear. HT is 10 minutes. THey were informed they needed to return to the field, and they refused. (Again, doesn't matter why they didn't come out, the end result is they refused to heed the instructions of the ref).

I get that teams sometimes are out late, and refs gives some leeway and allowance. In this case it would appear that rather than taking that leeway, Ballinagleary decided that the rules are as they saw them and refused to return to the field.

Your first post on this was that it was the ref causing the problem. You continue to say the ref is to blame. He isn't. They are. 100%. They decided the rules didn't apply to them, ignored the pleas from the ref, and then got annoyed when they were called out on it.

I fully expect the game will be replayed, as the GAA always sides with the teams and it is always someones else's fault. HT is 10 minutes. That is the rule. That it is normally given leeway does not remove the rule. They broke the rule, the ref called the game.

Leroy and Bass Reeves get it thankfully

Stop with the victim blaming here

Lads trying to take the piss out of a ref and then when he calls their bluff they throw a tantrum. Fck them

Simplistic because it cuts to the chase.

Ballinagleary refused to come out to start the second half. Ref gave them plenty of opportunity to rethink this decision. They refused to obey the instructions.

The Ref, fed up with the lack of respect for his time, their opponents, the supporters and the GAA rules, deemed that they were taking the p1ss.

However, instead of outright abandoning the game he restarts it and at that point, Balliagleay decides that the rules do actually matter and abuse the ref for not sticking to the rules. They could have retaken the field, and using the illegal advantage they took from the extra time at HT, taken on their opponents. Instead, they decided to abuse the ref to the point where the ref abandoned the game.

Thats it. 100% fault to Ballinagleary. You, from the very start, have looked to blame the ref when it seems that the ref did everything he could to try to get Ballinagleary to abide by the rules. They chose not to and paid the price.

I think the game will be replayed, but I hope Ballnagleary are kicked out of the competition. Teams need to learn that the rules are not there for whenever they think they should apply and can act like this and then claim they have been wronged. They screwed up, why should anyone but themselves pay the price?

Once again, Ballinaglealy could have retaken the field, finished the game and then lodged a complaint. They, again deciding that rules don't relate to them, instead abused the ref and that is what caused the game to be abandoned.

‘Kid’

Are you taking the piss or what saying stuff like that? Cop on

So, in your book, any team is able to delay the start of the second half for as long as they like, subject to a financial penalty only?

But what do you think should happen if they refuse to come out at half time or delay for 1 hour? Your posts suggest that everybody simply waits around and the ref writes a report afterwards.

Ouch... (Attack the post , not the poster???) 🤔

I have backed up every point made.

No one else has.

You are the one that got enraged.

Well put.

That was what i have been saying all along...

But thats 'Victim Blaming' apparently in here ?? 🤔😏

So much 'supposing' and ' i expect' being used...... No Facts?

At least do you research before lecturing people?

The score was 1-6 to 1-4 to Allen Gaels at halftime.

"Most may not have kept up with the change in rules especially with regards to technical runes around matches" - jesus...🙄

Fault : (I think most reasonable people would agree?)

Ballinaglera :

Delaying the restart of the game (no excuse to say they thought its 15mins allowed - Makes it worse actually )

Ref :

Restarting the game without following proper procedure - a massive mistake/error/ 'Ill show them whos boss'

Ballinaglera :

Some of their players surrounding the ref over/because of his decision

Ref :

Abandoning the game because he was confronted by aggrieved players due to his decision to restart without them.

I think they are the indisputable facts we can go on?

Whose the 'Victim' ? Whose to 'Blame' ?

Whats the ref a victim of ? My blame ?? Id say he'll live with that......

Why not stay in at dressing rooms as the ref and dont leave until both teams are out on the pitch. you should enter pitch after both teams. that allows the ref to not let this situation happen.

Rule number 1 as a ref - Look after yourself.

As you say - he knew (and so would everyone else) what would happen as soon as he threw that ball in and they scored.

Its a typical response from any team when a ref makes a massively important decision in any game.

As a ref you have to use 'common' sense also - Did he not weigh up what would happen ?

A) wait an extra 1 or 2 mins for them to come out of the dressing room? They are taking the pee, but i'll survive.

B) 'Feck them , ill just throw the ball in, that'll teach em.'

As i said before - Common practice would be the ref goes into his changing room if one, and/or both teams go to theirs.

You have control, and you dont give them the opportunity to stay in longer if you go out to the halfway line.

Then you can stay at the door, and 'force' them to go out on time.

If you feel they are taking the pee then, theres always 'ways and means' of 'getting your own back' during the second half. That does happen.

A soft free against them here and there, no free when they should etc ........ That is what happens. I know this.

And no, i dont think hes a 'stronger ref' for doing what he did. He was silly, and his maverick approach will cause the game to be replayed.

So now the other team will be aggrieved !

As a ref you must follow the rules/laws of the game - Not make them up to make a point!

What , does that mean???

Apart from the supposing/maybe/hypothesising ...... 🙄

Who in the name of fcuk brings a knife to , or go gets a knife during, an u16 game on a thursday evening .....

For fcuk sake....... And then to go use it on someone.... Crazy , batsh1t crazy.

😣

It's not wrong I have seen referees changing in broom cupboards, toilets etc. Even if there is a referees room it a small pokey room you would not swing a cat in 90% of the time unless the ground is a club championship ground. I remember at an underages match a referee changing in our dressing room while we were having a few words with team in Adare 7-8 years ago. I was involved from u10-adult for 15+ years.

If there was a schmozzal as the teams came out every one would be saying where was the ref. At all championship and intercounty games referees are ALWAYS on the field before the team come out. At club championship level 90% of the time the referees stay in the pitch chatting to umpires and linesman they have with them unless it's pouring rain.

So sorry everything you said above is incorrect.

At the end of it all BG were on the wrong threw a wobbly and referees should not have to put up with that.

Think stabbing people goes beyond the usual norm of ref abuse. I'd expect a jail sentence of a few years for that.

Is it though because that's usually what happens in most ref assault cases?

This case seems particularly crazy though, don't think I've ever heard of a ref being stabbed before.

We’ll get the usual sh1te about Ulster being different as they’ve been under the Brit jackboot forever and this impacts on their behaviour and we should be understanding of this (as per the Antrim eye gouging last year) . The GAA will run this though a never ending list of committeeeeeees and then the perpetrator will get a strong verbal warning.