Seán Moran reports that the GAA has sent out a directive to referees emphasising the need for higher standards of umpiringin the current National Football League

The GAA has admitted its concern over standards of officiating in the current National Football League. Some of the assessors' reports have been critical and a directive has gone out to referees emphasising the need for higher standards of umpiring.

There have been a number of incidents in matches during the campaign to date and over the weekend two managers were critical of the refereeing in their matches.

Derry's Eamonn Coleman and Luke Dempsey of Westmeath each went on the record to denounce the officiating of Des Joyce and Charlie Collins respectively.

In an interview with Western People reporter Denise Horan, Collins stood over his decisions to award a penalty to Donegal and send off Westmeath All Star Rory O'Connell after two yellow cards. Joyce for his part is believed to have received good assessments for his refereeing performances to date.

Yet last Sunday wasn't the first sign that the current league is experiencing turbulence. For example, after nearly two years of having virtually no reason to overturn red card decisions, the GAA's disciplinary body, the Games Administration Committee, recently reversed three in the one sitting.

"There is a sense so far both in media reports and some of the referees' assessments that there have been problems," according to Paraic Duffy, chairman of the GAC and a member of the Central Referees Appointments Sub-committee.

"I understand if a team manager feels a bad decision has cost him a match and is angry. We are anxious not to demoralise referees who are finding their feet at the top level but we have to emphasise that this is a merit-based system. There is no point in having assessments otherwise and we have taken referees off matches if they have received poor assessments."

Ironically, it was reported yesterday that Des Joyce had been appointed to the Derry-Fermanagh match after Mayo referee Michael Daly had been stood down for a week after the controversial Donegal-Tyrone match seven days previously.

Duffy also points out the need to develop new referees. "We have to try new referees somewhere. You can't blood them in the championship. Like players, they have to be tested in matches. Realistically we can't use Pat McEnaney, John Bannon or Brian White every week."

Dan McCartan, the chairman of the National Referees Work Group, says that whereas there are difficulties the underlying trend is positive. "I believe the basic standard of refereeing is good but we have been trying some less experienced referees and the National Leagues are so competitive this year that it explains why there has been some controversy.

"On the question of umpires we have been saying to referees that they are responsible for selecting umpires who must undergo training. Provincial administrators have been running courses for umpires. Referees have to ensure that their umpires attend these courses and that only those who do should be selected to officiate at matches. The message to referees is: you are leading the team of officials and umpires will be assessed as well as referees."

McCartan goes as far as to speculate on a radical overhaul for the system of appointing umpires. "We have been thinking about setting up a national register of umpires. There is no room for sentiment and old loyalties in appointments and I believe we're moving to a situation where we have a register and umpires are appointed on the same basis as referees."

Meanwhile, a problem has arisen concerning the refixing of the postponed Roscommon-Galway Football League match. The only free dates between now and the end of the league are next weekend. Roscommon, however, already have a rescheduled fixture against Offaly planned for next Monday. The matter will be discussed at tomorrow night's meeting of the GAC.

Mayo forward Kieran McDonald has applied to transfer from Crossmolina Deel Rovers to Shrule Glencorrib. The application was deferred at last night's meeting of the Mayo County Board.

Crossmolina representative Tom McNulty said the club was "in shock" at the request and wanted time to consider it. McDonald wasn't present but in a written statement said that as he was working in north Galway, it would not be practical to travel to Crossmolina on a regular basis. County chairman PJ McGrath said he had no objection to the application provided Crossmolina agreed.