Mike Rice talks to the county’s soccer referees
WHILE the Kerry Referees Society don’t have any of its members officiating at League of Ireland games this season they have a referee who is distinguishing himself in the League of Ireland officiating at Premier division games.
Mullingar native Ray Matthews was enjoying his playing career with Mullingar Athletic, but injury forced him out of the game and he began refereeing in 2000. He immediately made a big impression and he graduated from the school of excellence.
He was elevated to the National League Panel in 2009 and went on to officiate at Premier division games. He also was in charge of a friendly game between QPR and Athlone Town at a time when Harry Redknapp was manager of the London club.
A few years back the Westmeath man and his family moved down to Lios Póil in West Kerry and was drafted on to the Kerry Referee Society and he is officiating at games every week and is very highly regarded all over the county.
He says the family decided to get out into country life three years ago and came down to live in Lios Póil where they are really enjoying life.
“I have a young family and they enjoy the freedom of country life,” he said.
“My playing career ended when I was young and I moved on to become involved in coaching and later took up refereeing.”
The highlight of his career to date was being an assistant referee at the FAI senior Cup Final two years ago. He says he is enjoying refereeing in Kerry and has built up a mutual respect for the people he comes into contact with every week.
He is happy with the standard of the game in the county and is very impressed by the facilities that are in place all over the county.
“I will stay on the whistle as long as I am enjoying it he said and will quit when I am not. Having a young family I cant see myself refereeing when I hit the 50 mark, which is not far down the road.”