It’s time for refs to step game up

I AM currently in the process of sending an abacus out to every inter-county referee in the country so that they might sharpen up on their counting skills. The Donegal footballers will play in Division 2 of the Allianz league next year because Mayo’s Kevin McLoughlin (below) confused a football match for a walking race when he took 12 steps prior to kicking the equalising score in last Sunday’s crucial match in Ballybofey. At least that error was noted, which is more than could be said about the 10 steps that Wexford’s Ciaran McDonald took while whipping over a vital point in last weekend’s win over Galway. This is a bug-bear of mine but I really don’t understand why players are regularly allowed to over carry without a free being called against them. And the offending players are regularly rewarded with frees because in not playing the ball, the only way they can be stopped is through foul means. The other aspect of officiating which grates is the tendency to blow for a free every-time a player tries to challenge with his stick in the air. McDonald won a couple of handy frees by simply putting his hand up to catch a ball and the referee Fergal Hogan ruling that his opponent had engaged in dangerous playing by challenging with his stick. I am not advocating that players should have their hands broken while trying to catch a ball, but there is a reason why players wear protective gloves. There is a risk involved of taking a knock when you put your hand up, but if you punish the player who is trying to defend by playing the ball with his stick, you are turning it into a non-contact sport. If people want to watch tennis, let them off but there are plenty more of us who want to watch hurling in all its physical glory.