Sir, – Further to Darragh Ó Sé's column ("Last person players care about is referee", September 2nd), I am not an umpire but have a friend who is and he is very committed to the role, and is "not just along for the ride and maybe a few pints of porter on the way home".
I think this is a very unfair generalisation about umpires, as, after all, it is a voluntary role and they do play an important part in the overall stewardship of our games.
Yes, umpires do make mistakes at times and it can be frustrating when a square ball is not judged correctly, such as in the Kilkenny v Galway minor semi-final, but at the end of the day they are human and go out to do their best.
I am sure referees also fully brief their umpires in advance and would only be selecting those who are fully committed to the role. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD HOLDEN,
Maynooth, Co Kildare.