Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG

News

GAA confirms Championship Referees' Panels

Antrim referee Colum Cunning has been included on the hurling referees Championship panel.

Antrim referee Colum Cunning has been included on the hurling referees Championship panel.

The GAA has confirmed its panels of referees for the 2017 Championship in Hurling and Gaelic Football.

Three new referees have been included on the Championship panel - Fermanagh's Niall Cullen and Mayo's Jerome Henry (Gaelic Football) and Antrim's Colum Cunning (Hurling).

Cormac Reilly (Gaelic Football) and Cathal McAllister (Hurling) return to the panel after missing out last year.
Laois official Eddie Kinsella retired from the panel at the end of 2016.

National Referees Development Chairman Sean Walsh was satisfied with how the Allianz Leagues unfolded in both codes. "Obviously it is a very exciting time for the referees involved, but they would have been waiting with a lot of trepidation for the past fortnight to see who is on and who is not on the panel. It is an exciting time for the referees. Everyone is there on merit.

"We would be happy overall with the Leagues. There is no question the referees aren't going to get every decision 100% right, but we would be very happy in the review of the League with the overall performance of our referees in both Gaelic Football and Hurling. We had some excellent games in the League, we had two excellent Division One Finals and we believe they were all refereed exceptionally well."

Walsh is also adamant that the panel has a nice mix of experienced and emerging officials. "We are a development committee so we have to develop referees: that is our job,' Walsh says. 

"It is very easy to pick the top seven or eight referees and to keep using them the whole time. You aren't developing referees then. We are a development committee, that is why we have the numbers we have. We put referees into big games as standby referees and linesman alongside experienced referees. 

"That is how you are going to develop referees, that has been our aim. We are happy we are doing that. We have a good mix of experience to go with the up and coming referees. We are very happy with the layout of our panels.

Five members of the Gaelic Football panel have refereed All Ireland Senior Finals previously - David Coldrick (3), Maurice Deegan (3), Joe McQuillan (2), Marty Duffy, and Conor Lane.

Barry Kelly (4), Brian Gavin (4), Diarmuid Kirwan (2), James McGrath (2), and James Owens have all taken charge of All Ireland Senior Hurling Finals.

Niall Cullen, Fermanagh, has been included on the Gaelic Football referees Championship panel.

Niall Cullen, Fermanagh, has been included on the Gaelic Football referees Championship panel.

The Referee and Linesman Panels for the 2017 Championship

Football - Championship Panel of 20:

Ciaran Branagan (An Dún)

Barry Cassidy (Doire)

David Coldrick (An Mhí)

Niall Cullen (Fear Manach)

Maurice Deegan (Laois)

Marty Duffy (Sligeach)

David Gough (An Mhí)

Jerome Henry (Maigh Eo)

Rory Hickey (An Clár)

Padraig Hughes (Ard Mhacha)

Sean Hurson (Tír Eoghan)

Fergal Kelly (An Longfort)

Conor Lane (Corcaigh)

Joe McQuillan (An Cabhán)

Noel Mooney (An Cabhán)

Paddy Neilan (Ros Comáin)

Anthony Nolan (Cill Mhantáin)

Derek O'Mahony (Tiobraid Árann)

Padraig O'Sullivan (Ciarraí)

Cormac Reilly (An Mhí)

Football - Championship Linesman Panel of 8:

James Bermingham (Corcaigh)

Brendan Cawley (Cill Dara)

Liam Devenney (Maigh Eo)

Paul Faloon (An Dún)

John Hickey (Ceatharlach)

Shaun McLaughlin (Dún na nGall)

Martin McNally (Muineachán)

James Molloy (Gaillimh)

Hurling - Championship panel of 14:

Sean Cleere (Cill Chainnigh)

Colum Cunning (Aontroim)

Brian Gavin (Uíbh Fhailí)

Fergal Horgan (Tiobraid Árann)

John Keenan (Cill Mhantáin)

Alan Kelly (Gaillimh)

Barry Kelly (An Iarmhí)

Diarmuid Kirwan (Corcaigh)

Colm Lyons (Corcaigh)

Cathal McAllister (Corcaigh)

James McGrath (An Iarmhí)

Paud O'Dwyer (Ceatharlach)

James Owens (Loch Garman)

Johnny Ryan (Tiobraid Árann)

Hurling - Christy Ring and Linesman Panel of 6:

James Clarke (An Cabhán)

John Keane (Gaillimh)

John O'Brien (Tiobraid Árann)

Rory McGann (An Clár)

Johnny Murphy (Luimneach)

Mick Murtagh (An Iarmhí)