In a National Hurling League game a couple of weeks ago, referee Johnny Murphy penalised a team for a technical infraction that was a mystery to everyone except Murphy. But the gap between how the game is played and how the rules are framed has never been greater. Photograph: Ken Sutton/InphoWhen the whistle blows, the referee is often one of the co-accused, as if enforcement is a crime too. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho“I was told afterwards (by his assessor) that it was the hardest game I would ever referee. What he sees for hurling referees now is a more challenging landscape than ever.

Source: The Irish Times March 08, 2026 15:01 UTC