Munster GAA targeting influx of new referees

Incoming Munster GAA referees development manager has called for an influx of new referees to keep pace with the increasing fixture demand in the province.

Johnny Ryan, a former inter-county referee in his own right, was appointed as the Munster council's first referees development manager earlier this week.

Speaking to RTÉ Sport's Marty Morrissey, he highlighted a stark need to up the numbers when it comes to the pool of match officials available.

"Our objective is we have to increase our numbers," he said.

"So we're going to target the six counties in Munster and supporting their referee committees, but also the third level institutions in our province in Munster and recruiting new referees, both male and female for our games in Munster for 2025."

'We have to increase our numbers' - @MartyMofficial reports on Johnny Ryan's appointment as Munster's referees development manager, amid concerns around the shortfall in referees relative to the number of games played at all levels#gaa pic.twitter.com/8vOrd653zD

Munster GAA CEO Kieran Leddy added that an increasingly packed calendar at various grades had put a strain on the current pool of match officials.

"There are 450 active referees in Munster at present which is a significant number," he said.

"However, the number of games being played at club and schools level has increased significantly in recent years.

"For example, in 2024 from July to October, there were 2,500 adult club championship matches played in the province and many thousand more across the other grades and Ladies football and camogie.

"The number of active referees hasn't kept pace with this increase so there's no doubt there are committes finding it difficult from time to time."