By 
THE ageing profile of referees within Tyrone underlines the need for a new batch of recruits to take up the whistle, it has been pointed out at the 2025 County Convention.
In his annual report to the County Convention Shane Dorrity, the chairperson of the Referee’s Administration Committee, cautioned that lack of numbers meant the current game schedule for refs was something that wouldn’t be tolerated for players.
“With the advancement of the average age profile of referees within Tyrone, it should be a cause for concern for all clubs that our referees are being asked to take part in a games schedule that no player would be expected to perform in.
“It has been a tough season for appointments to games and we wish to offer our sincere thanks to all volunteers who have offered their time to officiate throughout and often at short notice.”
While welcoming the increased games being afforded youth in the County these days, Mr Dorrity felt those additional fixtures placed further demands on an already stretched pool of refereeing resources.
“The development leagues have been a great success for our clubs to offer more children the chance to take part in our games and I’m sure we all wish for this to go from strength to strength.
“With this in mind, it is important that we consider, when planning fixtures, the strain that is placed on the small pool of referees that have tirelessly worked to ensure these games were a success.”
Excluding the Under-13 League, the leading Referees Officer revealed that since March a total of 1961 football games had taken place with seventy referees officiating, while a total of 79 youth hurling games were played this season in Tyrone, officiated by eight active refs.
“Unfortunately we are reliant on referees from outside the county to complete our (hurling) competitions,” Mr Dorrity added.
The chairperson of the Competition Controls Committee, Raymond Monteith reiterated his County Board colleague’s calls for a further recruitment push and handed this warning to clubs.
“If this is not given more urgency within clubs then the day is not far away when wholesale postponements will be upon us and our Association will suffer.
“We have consistently asked clubs to provide a referee to officiate at 10 games a year. If all clubs took this on board there would be no crisis to fear.”
The Trillick man praised the Referee Committee for their hard work over this past twelve months in all aspects of officiating.
“There is no county that put as much effort into training our referees panel around the new rules this year as they did.
“I particularly thank Sean Hurson for all the work and hours he gives to help improve the standards of his colleagues.”
Mr Monteith admitted that clubs could help make recruitment much easier by brushing up on ill-discipline within their ranks on match days, not just with players but also managers within their ranks.
“This is the one area that turns many potential recruits away from the whistle.
“The area for most concern around discipline is the number of mentors that are constantly appearing on referee reports.
“The new rules have undoubtedly led to less yellow and black cards, but the level of abuse from the sidelines needs to be eradicated from our games.”
