WATCH: To be the man in black; a day in the life of a GAA ref
A new video released by the GAA gives a great insight into the life of a referee officiating at inter-county level.
The cameras followed Alan Kelly from Moycullen in Galway when he refereed the Allianz Hurling League game between Dublin and Cork in Croke Park last weekend.
We watch the referee and his team of umpires prepare for the game and talk about life as a match official.
The film should be required viewing for supporters who complain endlessly about decisions made on the field - Kelly’s love for the game of hurling shines through every scene.
“We all can’t be Henry Shefflin or Joe Canning - the next best thing to playing hurling is to referee,” he said.
“Everybody wants to be in Croke Park on the first Sunday in September and you get that opportunity as a referee.”
The men discuss the work that goes into preparing for a high-profile game and also the impact of new technology - during the game we see them refer a point decision to Hawkeye.
Kelly has fulfilled his childhood dream of being on the field in Croke Park on matchday - even if it’s not quite how he imagined it.
“This is where you want to be,” he said about Croke Park. “If you don’t want to be here you may as well forget about it.”
To read more on the story and interviews with Kelly and his umpires go to gaa.ie.
