Hurling's ref justice a cause for concern in 2012

John Fogarty
IN isolation, the 2009 All-Ireland senior hurling final stands as one of, if not the greatest game in living memory.
But it sure has a lot to answer for.

Held up as the example of how the game should be played, in turn Diarmuid Kirwan’s refereeing has been championed as how it should be officiated. Sparingly. The less the better.

The Cork-based man’s laissez-faire approach in the decider two years ago has had such a determining factor on what’s followed that it’s not just a fashion for a referee to let things ride now; it’s the norm.

But as well as determining it has been detrimental to the game where counties recognise they can gain advantage from the indifference of referees to some aspects of cynical play.

When GAA President Christy Cooney talks about county boards not living up to their word concerning training bans and what not, he would be wisely advised to investigate how well officials are staying true to the rules of hurling.

We would argue their interpretation is incredibly loose. Playing advantage is seen as good refereeing but is now being abused.
Yes, common sense should be applied but don’t mistake what’s happening in hurling officiating for that.

If fouls are being overlooked because referees are copping out of calling them they are being ignored in the interest of making the game more appealing.

It’s not as if that particular tactic has worked. The last couple of championships have been largely forgettable.

Officials aren’t entirely at fault, though. The game has become so quick theirs is becoming such an arduous job especially when having to make calls from distance.

But they are hardly going to improve when there are so many apologists for them crying out that hackneyed line “let the game flow”.
As a learned provincial official recently told me, “I’ve yet to find that phrase in the rulebook.”

However, teams recognise there are advantages to taking the game to the limits and crossing them isn’t such an adverse thing to do.
Interestingly, the team that gave away the most frees in each of the last three All-Ireland finals were crowned champions. In 2009, Kilkenny committed 19 of 27 compared to Tipperary’s 19 of 31 in 2010. Last year, Kilkenny conceded 14 of the 24 awarded by Brian Gavin.

In the two semi-finals last year, the victors Kilkenny and Tipperary coughed up the most frees.

The point being made here isn’t about changing goalposts to resolve the polarisation of the hurling championship. But the state of officiating in hurling hasn’t exactly helped the game.

Nobody wants to see the physical element diminished but then it shouldn’t be propagated at the expense of how hurling is meant to be played.

Of course, there are repercussions for the direction referees have taken. When the likes of James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick are compelled to quit the inter-county game not because they’re not good enough but their body shapes don’t fit, there are grounds for concern.

In Tipperary this year, don’t be surprised to see Declan Ryan add more of a physical presence to the team. Certainly, the return of 6ft-plus half-back Shane Maher to the fold would support that theory.

But that’s where a lot of heads are in Tipperary right now: that they were outmuscled by Kilkenny last September.
Michael Fennelly’s rocking first-half shoulder on Shane McGrath is held up as one of the defining moments of the defeat, even though hehad plenty of time to measure up McGrath who never saw the tackle coming.

Kilkenny are to be followed and their approach right now lends itself more to the stance that might is right. In the likes of Cork and Waterford last year, boxing was implemented in physical training while the steeliness added to Dublin’s style was undeniably a factor in their success.

Where does all this leave hurling, though? There will be those who will say what’s happening is evolution but what teams are doing is primarily reactionary to the abandonment of rules.

But what can be done? It’s understood the standard of officiating was broached by the playing rules committee over the past couple of months but are they best placed to dictate what’s right for the game when some of their members have vested interests? The likes of Brian Cody and Dónal Óg Cusack on the committee are at the coal-face and know better than most but they also know what’s best for their own teams.

No, if referees are to regurgitate their whistles they’ll have to do it themselves.

Otherwise, hurling is facing another disorderly inter-county season in 2012.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/lb1F70DAZuo/post.aspx

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