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By Tom Kelly The Mayo Branch of the Irish Soccer Referees Society is refusing to reinstate four members penalised following the national referees strike last August. Martin Roughneen, Kevin Reilly, Edmund Barrett and Pierce Concannon were suspended from the branch for refusing to stay on the sidelines during the dispute. The branch took the action despite assurances given by the Irish Soccer Referees Society to the F.A.I. that no referee would be disciplined for ignoring the strike. Now the refusal of the Mayo branch to reinstate the four officials, one of whom, Pierce Concannon has since retired from the game, has been raised with the Irish Soccer Referees Society. Mr. James Finnegan, secretary of the national society, was informed by the F.A.I. that the Mayo Branch's decision to ignore the agreement was having a detrimental effect on football in Mayo. Mr. Finnegan was told that it was an unacceptable situation and brought into question the credibility of the society to represent and enter into agreements on behalf of the referees. The F.A.I. sought assurances that action would be taken to ensure the agreement was honoured and that football could return to normal in Mayo. Mr. William Attley, chief referees inspector, has also written to the Mayo Branch of the Irish Soccer Referees Society. He made it clear that no seminars would not be arranged in Mayo while the action against the four referees continued. He also stated the branch's actions 'caused a serious impediment to the orderly conduct of business between the F.A.I. and the ISRS.' The fact that no further seminars will be arranged for referees in the current climate raises serious questions in relation to the future of the game in the county. Three of the suspended referees, Martin Roughneen, Kevin Reilly and Edmond Barrett, have continued to officiate at games despite being removed from the branch. The Mayo Association Football League and the Connaught Senior League have not recognised the suspensions on them. But it remains an embarrassment to the game in Mayo that the referees branch is acting in direct opposition to its own society. There are fears that the issue will explode in the form of a Mayo strike with fixtures being disrupted before the start of next season. |
