Two referees for game in kingscourt
Isn't there always something unusual going on when you go to a game - or is that not the way it is? Today in Kingscourt for the opening round of the u-21 Hastings Cup between Meath and Cavan there was a referee for each half - due to the bitterly cold conditions - maybe!!!!
Well, not really.
Supporters were busy checking their watches as the throw in time of 2pm approached. The teams were out on the picth and were busy warming up - not easy in the day time in Kingscourt on 3rd January.
Word filtered through that the appointed referee, Derek Fahy from Longford, had gone to the wrong ground, but was now on his way to Kingscourt.
Worse news was that he had gone to Killeshandra and was now on his way to Kingscourt.
The only explanation possible was that Cavan's next home game (v Roscommon) in the Hastings Cup had been originally scheduled for Killeshandra some weeks ago, but had then been changed it wasn't going to be in Killeshandra at all.
Anyway, local referee Jimmy Galligan from Lacken stepped up to the plate and at about 2.10pm the game got going.
Jimmy did well - even if he was generous in awarding so many frees to Cavan that they didn't manage a score from play for almost 25 minutes.
And Jimmy broke new ground when he issued a 'verbal' yellow card to a Cavan player for a woeful tackle on a poor Meath player. Apparently Jimmy had no yellow cards with him.
As the half-time whistle sounded an eagle-eyed Cavan official spotted Derek Fahy's car arriving so that was good news for the Meath supporters as they could look forward to a more balanced second-half!
Not really.
After losing the first-half by five points (0-1 to 0-6) Meath lost the second-half by eight points (0-4 to 1-9).
Derek Fahy even checked with team officials before the second-half started to see 'are you happy with the score' - Yes and No were the answers depending on which side you wanted to hear.
Full credit to the groundsmen at Kingscourt who were busy before the game making sure the pitch was playable (see video clip of some of the groundsmen working and some watching the work).
And well done to Jimmy Galligan for getting the game going in the absence of the official referee.