SHANE Scanlon is quickly becoming one of the top referees in the county, but admits it’s a role he fell into.
The Newcestown man (26) was involved in 144 games last year, with his season beginning on January 2nd, and included taking charge of the county premier senior hurling championship final between Imokilly and Sarsfields in October.
Scanlon’s stock is rising, but what encouraged him to pick up a whistle?
‘I don’t think anyone, when they’re younger, aspires to be a referee and no fella is blowing a whistle in the back garden while everyone else is pucking around,’ Scanlon told the Star Sport Podcast.
‘My father is an accountant in Dunmanway and I had been working a couple of summers and a colleague of his, Joe Kelly, was involved with Rebel Óg West at the time and I could see he was under pressure with referees. There were lads dropping out of matches and my father was like “would you not go on away and do that for yourself, it might keep you involved in the GAA.” At the time, I was playing a bit of minor football and hurling with Newcestown but I just knew that unless I really went at it, making a senior panel in a club is very hard.’
Scanlon stopped playing regularly for the West Cork club at U21 level when he started studying in college. While the primary school teacher in Scoil Eoin in Innishannon is now one of the best referees in the county, when he began in 2017 at juvenile level he never envisaged taking charge of county or divisional finals.
‘When I started off, I had no real intentions of taking it as far as it has gone for me. It was definitely a good way of keeping fit. I wasn’t on the skinnier side and I was like “this is one way of keeping active.” Any referee that is doing any game would cover anywhere between five and seven kilometres in a match,’ Scanlon said.
‘It is a good way of keeping involved in your club too. I know we had a meeting a couple of weeks ago and we were discussing what we would do in our own division with regards to recruitment. For players coming up to retirement stages in their own club, it would be a great way to continue on, especially for players who are playing games. If they can carry on into reffing, it would just make the standard of it increase. Players will make good referees because they have the knowledge of the game themselves.’
There is a need for more referees, both in his home Carbery division and county-wide. Given the schedule of GAA games in the condensed club season, the more people who decide to become referees, the better.
‘That is how most people end up refereeing. They’d say “I can do a better job than him.” It is only when you throw your hand at it that you might like it. It’s not for everyone,’ the Newcestown man said.
‘I know, at the moment, we have 260 active referees in Cork. Whether they are all active or not is the question, they may have different commitments.
‘If we can try to get up to 300 in the next year or two, that would be great because every weekend as the championship comes on in the summer, there are 36 championship games at county board level. You add in another 40 games that are happening at the divisional aspect of it (eg, Carbery). That’s 76 games. You need three officials in terms of linesmen and refs at the matches plus your umpires. That’s 228 refs. There is a lot needed for these games. Whether you just want to get involved in your own club and do it as a linesman, every little helps.’
With the rule changes in Gaelic football coming into effect this month, there will be learnings for both referees and players, as everyone adjusts to the new rules. Included is a free being moved forward by 50 metres for dissent while only captains being able to communicate with the referees.
‘I think it is a positive move, definitely. The discipline, for a lot of clubs, has gotten better over the last couple of years. Again, it could be better. Oftentimes that I have gone to matches, refereeing or just watching, the discipline would be poor enough,’ he said.
‘If a referee brings the ball forward 13 yards, he is just going to try and lay out his stall. The communication lines there are breaking down. The 50-metre penalty is a very good initiative, and it is just going to be how it’s managed? Is there going to be a situation where it is going to be moved forward for any bit of lip? I don’t know. That will be what teams will have to discuss with a referee beforehand. The role of the captain is going to be very important. Personally, as the game is going on I enjoy being able to chat away to different people. It just opens communication lines a little bit more.’
