EXCLUSIVE - Referee calls for patience ahead of the 2025 season

WITH the start of club and inter-county football just around the corner it will mark a new dawn for Gaelic Football as a number of new rules are set to come into effect.

Referees and supporters right across the country will be interested to see how the new rules will bed in over the coming months, whether it be inter-county or club level.

At club level there already are a number of challenges referees face with abuse but now they will have to contend and adapt to the new rules.

Former referee of the year from 2023, JJ Kirby took time out of his schedule to talk to the Laois Nationalist about the challenges referees face into in 2025.

With the shortage of referees all across the country, and Laois is no different, Kirby highlights abuse as the number one problem which is especially turning younger people off refereeing.

He said: “Definitely the abuse is the number one issue. I have been lucky and have received no physical abuse and very little verbal abuse. Verbal abuse mainly, some of it can be particularly nasty and personal. Social media now also plays a huge factor in this. Physical abuse is a rarity but has happened.

“This naturally affects mental and physical health and indeed family life. It has no place in our great organisation. I have no problem with constructive criticism and believe me that will come if warranted from a referees’ assessor or a senior official at County Board level.

“Most young referees start off officiating at Go Games and U/13 games. From my experience these games can be the most contentious ones to manage. On the one hand, the vast majority of supporters will be well behaved and mannerly, however, there will always be one or two mammie and daddies, very often who never played any sport, shouting and roaring on the sideline, firstly, at the child and then at the young referee.

“Appropriate sanctions such as banning supporters who abuse young referees and financial sanctions, expelling from competitions for clubs who they support should be vigorously pursued. If we don’t have any refs, we don’t have any games.” With the new rules coming in Kirby has called for a huge social media drive to recruit new referees who can adapt to the new rules more easily. Although there is a shortage of referees in the county, he praised the officials for their hard work throughout 2024.

He said: “A serious social media campaign driven by corporate level in the organisation should be followed.

“Targeting second level and particularly third level institutions need to be driven. With these new rules coming into being now is the time for a new generation of young men and women to come on board.

“Great behind the scenes administrators such as Pam Cooney in Laois GAA and Vincent Dowling, the referee’s administrator, do huge work which goes on behind the scenes. However, in the height of the GAA season in the past few years refs often have to referee two or even three games in the one day.

“Having said all that, the new rules will test the best of people’s resolve. In Wicklow for example, seven referees have decided not to put their names forward this year, mainly because of the new rules. Remember that the vast majority of refs are over 50, with some now well into their 60s and 70s.” With a supporter’s hat on, Kirby thinks the new rules are badly needed and hopes it will ignite football and bring the excitement back to the sport.

“I will adopt a wait and see attitude. What is evident is that the game is going to be radically altered and may indeed change beyond recognition.

“Something had to be done as a lot of games had become very boring with blanket defences. I attended the All-Ireland final last year and found it very boring to watch, the seagull on the pitch grabbing most of my attention for the first half.

There are negatives with the new rules but there definitely is a positive for referees, with Kirby calling for patience over the coming months but he is still looking forward to the season ahead.

“The hardest rule by far is going to be ‘the offside rule’ as I call it, monitoring to ensure three players are on one half of the pitch is going to be near impossible. It is probably workable at inter-county games but imagine junior ‘B’ or ‘C’ championship in a pitch that won’t even be marked or have flags put out.

“It’s going to be very challenging. Clubs and team officials will have to step up and support the referee, otherwise it will be unworkable and unless support is given, I can see a number of games being abandoned. Hopefully I’m wrong.

“The new dissent rule and the rule of abuse from a sideline official, bringing the ball forward 50 metres and up to the 13-metre line should be a big help in eradicating abuse and dissent which is definitely a positive.

“I am looking forward to the new season. The message I would give clubs and supporters is to study the new rules, be patient, volunteer to be a linesman or assistant official for a referee.

“In my opinion 2025 will be a bedding in period, the good parts will be brought forward to 2026 and 2027 and beyond and the new rules that don’t work will be abandoned,” he finished.