Owens on list of top ten hurling whistlers

THERE WAS no surprise last week when James Owens was named as one of ten referees who will be in charge of Liam MacCarthy Cup championship games in the hurling season to come.

The Askamore clubman is one four men on the list to have taken charge of All-Ireland Senior finals already, along with Cork’s Diarmuid Kirwan, James McGrath of Westmeath, and Fergal Horgan of Tipperary.

And there is another Wexford link too as, while Paud O’Dwyer has been attached to Carlow and the Palatine club for many years now, he hails from Rathgarogue-Cushinstown country and donned the purple and gold in all grades of football.

The panel of 16 hurling referees eligible to handle games in the Joe McDonagh and Christy Ring Cups includes Justin Heffernan from Blackwater, while Gearóid McGrath (St. James’) is one of nine listed to take charge of Nickey Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup matches.

Apart from Owens, O’Dwyer, Horgan, Kirwan and McGrath, the top ten also features Seán Cleere (Kilkenny), John Keenan (Wicklow), Alan Kelly (Galway), Colm Lyons (Cork) and newcomer Johnny Murphy (Limerick).

Brian Gavin (Offaly) retired at the end of 2017, while Westmeath’s

Barry Kelly has stepped down from refereeing but will continue to feature as a linesman.