2020-21 IRFU referee panels announced

11/09/2020 Ref IRFU 2

The Irish RFU have confirmed its National Referee Panels for the 2020-21 season.

The elite group is full of the familiar names – Andy Brace (Munster), George Clancy (Munster), Seán Gallagher (Leinster), Frank Murphy (Munster) and Joy Neville (Munster).

Association of Referees Connacht Branch - Michael Forrestal

Six referees, including Leinster’s Michael Forrestal (pic left) have been added to the 52 person group for the coming season. As Level 3 match officials, they will service Energia All-Ireland League and domestic representative fixtures.

The new additions are drawn from all four provinces:

  • Kevin Coffey (Munster Association of Referees)
  • Sam Holt (Assocation of Referees Leinster Branch)
  • Andy Fogarty (Association of Referees Connacht Branch)
  • Peter McClure (Ulster Societies Rugby Football Referees)
  • Tomás O’Sullivan (Munster Association Of Referees)
  • Michael Forrestal (Association Of Referees Leinster Branch)

Congratulations to all those who have been confirmed onto the Panels, or who have moved up within it.

IRFU National Referee Panels

High Performance:
Andy Brace (MAR), George Clancy (MAR), Seán Gallagher (ARLB), Frank Murphy (MAR), Joy Neville (MAR).

High-Performance Development Group:
Chris Busby (USRFR – pic on home page), Eoghan Cross (MAR), Peter Martin (USRFR), Rob O’Sullivan (MAR).

Level 1:
Kieran Barry (MAR), Dermot Blake (ARLB), Dan Carson (USRFR), Andrew Cole (ARLB), Nigel Correll (ARLB), Jonny Erskine (USRFR), Stuart Gaffikin (USRFR),Paul Haycock (ARLB), Cillian Hogan (ARLB), Eddie Hogan-O’Connell (MAR), Richard Horgan (MAR), Shane Kierans (MAR), Mark Patton (USRFR), Jonathan Peak (USRFR), Oisin Quinn (USRFR).

Level 2:
Jason Cairns (ARCB), John Carvill (ARLB), Stuart Douglas (USRFR), Richard Kerr (USRFR), Chris Lough (USRFR), Barrie O’Connell (MAR), Henry Richmond (USRFR), Glenn Sheridan (ARLB), Rob Watson (USRFR), Johnny Wilson (USRFR).

Level 3:
Kevin Coffey (MAR), Grainne Crabtree (USRFR), Keane Davison (USRFR), John Flynn (ARLB), Andrew Fogarty (ARCB), Michael Forrestal (ARLB), Sam Holt (ARLB), Peter McClure (USRFR), Robbie McGreer (USRFR), Andrew Mitchell (USRFR), Barry Moloney (MAR), Paul O’Connor (MAR), Enda O’Shea (MAR), Tomás O’Sullivan (MAR), Padraic Reidy (ARLB), Colm Roche (ARLB), Mike Scanlon (MAR), Paudie Sheehan (MAR).

2 Comments

  1. There seems to be a lack of discussion about how to speed up the game which, for me, is becoming beyond boring at times.. With stricter refereeing of the breakdown there are far more penalties and scrum re-sets are still massively time wasting. May I suggest that free kicks from scrums cannot lead to yet another scrum..free kick must be taken.After two re-sets free kick awarded to the defending team. Stop the clock when penalties and scrums are awarded a la ,dare I say it ..Rugby League. Oh this will lead to much longer matches and tv will complain. All this is about our great game and it’s time we put things back to more time with ball in hand than massive squads having long rest periods.

    • If players learn and buy into the new regime (which they wanted) then the game will speed up. Think Super Rugby analysis shows the improvement in ball in play time from start to finish of the tournament. Too early for European stats

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