Referees get paging equipment

A new referee paging system will be in operation in all championship games from this weekend to improve communications with the fourth official on the sideline.

The recently revised method of substitution, where a substitutes' board has replaced the old method of pen and paper, was criticised by a number of counties last Sunday because of the problem in attracting the referee's attention.

Under the new paging system, however, a transmitter will be in operation so that the referee can immediately be made aware of a pending substitution.

According to Dan McCartan, chairman of the referees' committee, the system will vastly improve the communication between the referee and the fourth official.

"There was a problem on certain occasions at the weekend when it was difficult to draw the referee's attention when a substitute wanted to come on," said McCartan. "Even though the substitute board was held up the referee may not have spotted it.

"The transmitter system is something we have been experimenting with, but it was also something that we had to phase in. It takes a while for these things to be fully tested but those who have tried it have been satisfied with it. And it should be ready for all games from this weekend."

That will be welcome news to Fermanagh and Donegal in particular. Both county managers voiced dissatisfaction with the lack of communication between the referee and the sideline when it came to substitutions in Sunday's drawn championship game, but the new system will be implemented for the replay - which has been set for Saturday evening in Enniskillen (6.15).

It took almost four minutes for Fermanagh to introduce Brendan McBrien in the closing stages and manager John Maughan was quick to criticise the problem afterwards.

Donegal manager Mickey Moran had similar problems when trying to bring on Tony Boyle and said it was "a ridiculous situation" that the referee was not wired up.

While that problem should be averted from now on, the introduction of the substitute board has certainly been proving useful for the spectator (and media) in keeping track of players on the field. In the past it wasn't unusual for a substitute to be discovered on the field long after he had actually made his entrance.

In keeping with another revised rule of recent seasons, a new referee has been appointed for the replay, with Brian White of Wexford taking over from Leitrim's Seamus Prior. The game will also include extra-time if necessary.

The Leinster championship replay between Wicklow and Carlow - set for the same Newbridge venue on Sunday - will also benefit from the new paging system, and will also include extra-time if necessary.

The early collection of replays will not affect the schedule for the first round of the new All-Ireland series losers' group. The open draw for the 16 teams that lose before the provincial semi-final stage will be made on June 3rd, and the games then take place on the Saturday, June 9th.

There may, however, be a problem if there is a draw in any of the two Leinster or Ulster quarterfinals on June 3rd. It also remains to be seen if the Games Administration Committee will press ahead will the losers' group preliminary game - set for June 2nd - that is needed to reduce the number of losing teams from 17 to 16.

With the London and Mayo game called off because of the foot-and-mouth problem in England, it has still to be decided if London will get to meet the team beaten in Saturday's meeting between Roscommon and New York in that preliminary game. But the GAC, and not the Connacht Council, must now decide if London will be allowed back in.

Wexford, Louth, Tipperary and Waterford are the first teams sure of their place in the losers' group. They will be joined by the four losers of the Leinster quarterfinals, the four losers of the Ulster quarter-finals, the losers of the Fermanagh-Donegal and CarlowWicklow replays, and the losers of Sunday's Galway-Leitrim game - bringing the number to 15.

Depending on the GAC's decision, either Roscommon, New York or London will join them.