Madam, - I am an Australian temporarily resident in Wales, and back home in Adelaide I was involved with both Australian Rules and Gaelic Football. Visiting Croke Park last Sunday, I must say I immensely enjoyed the All-Ireland Football Final - the atmosphere and the game itself.
There was, however, a period in the second half when I felt I was back home watching the Australian Football League, and increasingly I had sympathy for the poor, besieged referee.
What became clear was that the modern Gaelic game is far too fast for one field referee to manage. In soccer one referee is probably sufficient. However, Gaelic football, like Aussie Rules, is a faster, more multi-dimensional game on a larger pitch.
The AFL in Australia long ago moved from one central field umpire to two and more recently to three at élite level. I think two referees would suffice in Gaelic Football; each would police the play when the ball was in his half of the field, leaving his comrade to watch for off-the-ball incidents.
This would lead to more efficient and timely interventions. Players would be more likely to abide by the rules, and the game would flow more freely.
The use of umpires at all grades in Australian football has been a boon to the sport. The umpires work in pairs throughout the season and focus on consistency of interpretation. They give each other valuable moral support and players tend to show more respect than they did for the single chap in the old days.
This is something the GAA, with its fast and entertaining games, should consider. It is worth noting, with the sold-out tests in Australia approaching, that the GAA has already accepted the two-referee principle at international level. - Yours, etc.,
PETER PARRY, Llandegfan, Wales.
Madam, - It was great to read that Tyrone won its first All-Ireland, becoming the 19th county to win the Cup.
I dream that, soon, we will see Longford, Leitrim and other "small" football counties in the final. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL HUGHES, Toronto, Canada .