Local officials busy

THE NEW League of Ireland season may be only two weeks old, but already some Wexford officials have been extremely busy. On the opening weekend of the Premier Division campaign, Seán Grant from Rosslare Harbour refereed the meeting of St. Patrick’s Athletic and Waterford United in Richmond Park, the game in which Screen’s Kevin O’Connor scored the winner for the Blues.

On the following day, Grant was in the capital once again, this time as fourth official for the tense Dublin derby featuring Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers in Dalymount Park.

Last weekend, he refereed Shamrock Rovers’ 6-0 rout of Cork City, was fourth official at Cobh Ramblers versus Drogheda United, and was due to fill the latter role once more last night in the game between Waterford and Shamrock Rovers.

Meanwhile, Brian ‘Boppy’ Fenlon, a native of Whitemill Road in Wexford town, was one of Grant’s assistants in Richmond Park at St. Patrick’s Athletic versus Waterford, and he also ran the line in Wexford F.C’s draw with U.C.D. last Friday.

Two of the four local lads involved with Premier Division teams tasted some action over the weekend, with Aaron Dobbs from Enniscorthy making his debut for newly-promoted Shelbourne in Friday’s 2-1 defeat to champions Dundalk.

Kevin O’Connor and his Waterford colleagues went down 2-0 to Bohemians at the R.S.C.

Conor Levingstone from Gorey has yet to feature with the Dubliners, while Greg Bolger is also awaiting his first piece of action with Shamrock Rovers.

Turning to the international soccer scene, Wexford town’s Rianna Jarrett has been chosen on the Republic of Ireland women’s squad to play Greece and Montenegro in European championship qualifying games in Tallaght and Budva respectively on March 5 and 11.

Jarrett recently completed a dream move from her local club to Brighton and Hove Albion.