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Peter Sweeney

Peter Sweeney's Blog

Peter Sweeney is the Gaelic Games Correspondent with the Irish Daily Star Newspaper. He is a regular on television and radio and even though he isn't any good he still tries to play Gaelic football.

  • 15 Aug 2011

    Pat McEaney, has he refereed his last game?

    IT SEEMS that Pat McEnaney has refereed his last game at inter-county level. He won’t be on duty for either of this month’s All-Ireland semi-finals and it’s highly unlikely that the Monaghan man will be given a swan-song in the final - that particular gig appears to be headed Joe McQuillan’s direction. read more

    IT SEEMS that Pat McEnaney has refereed his last game at inter-county level.

    He won’t be on duty for either of this month’s All-Ireland semi-finals and it’s highly unlikely that the Monaghan man will be given a swan-song in the final - that particular gig appears to be headed Joe McQuillan’s direction.

    By the time next season starts McEnaney will have passed the 50-year-old age limit that the GAA imposes on elite referees.

    So the All-Ireland quarter-final between Kerry and Limerick at Cork Park last month was the low-key conclusion to a career spent in the spotlight.

    McEnaney, who took up the whistle when he blew out his knee playing soccer, was often held up as the best referee in the game and many players did, indeed, enjoy games that he took charge of.

    Just as often as he won praise from players, managers and fans however he had officials in Croke Park pulling their hair out.

    It was said that he applied ‘common sense’, with Kerry boss Jack O’Connor one of his biggest fans, though sometimes applying the rules is what’s required.

    During last year’s hand-pass rule controversy it appeared at times as though he was operation from his own rulebook.

    He first blasted to national prominence in the 1996 All-Ireland final when he was the man in the middle.

    The Corduff club-man sent off Meath’s Colm O’Rourke and Liam McHale of Mayo - and he could have marched a dozen more - following an infamous brawl at the Hill 16 end of the ground.

    He still cites that games as his most difficult, though it was an experience that stood to him as he went on to referee further All-Ireland finals and International Rules test series.

    McEnaney himself backs the GAA’s 50-year rule and he will be the first really high profile casualty of the age limit.

    It’s an admirable move by the Association as they aim to lower the age-profile of inter-county whistlers and change perceptions about them.

    McEnaney will be missed however for his calm approach and no-nonsense manner.

    His matter-of-fact views on football and the application of the rules though, could be the very thing that keeps him in the limelight into his retirement.

    With so much uniformed comment by ‘experts’ and pundits it would be no surprise if he was snapped up as a rules analyst on television, radio or in print.

Home Away Date Time Venue
London Leitrim 03.06.2012 3:00 Ruislip
Longford Wexford 03.06.2012 2:00 Croke Park
Louth Dublin 03.06.2012 4:00 Croke Park
Clare Limerick 09.06.2012 7:00 Cusack Park, Ennis or Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

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Home Score Away Score Date Venue
Meath 0-16 Wicklow 0-11 27.05 Carlow
Monaghan 1-12 Antrim 1-09 27.05 Clones
Tipperary 0-10 Kerry 0-16 27.05 Semple Stadium
Limerick 2-12 Waterford 0-7 20.05 Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

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