The GAA have expressed concern that the constant criticisms of referees in big matches at national level might be contributing to the environment in which attacks on official at club matches has become so prevalent.

"I'm inclined to think they could," said Liam Mulvihill, the GAA's director general.

"Attitudes can be affected by a certain climate that is built up. It's one of those things that you can't quite get to the bottom of what starts it.

"Obviously there would be concern. When you get an outbreak of something like this it seems to be like a flu or virus.

"Any attack on a referee is serious but when you have a number of them over a short period of time it's obviously of concern and something that we will be addressing through Central Council.

"There has been quite an amount of indiscipline at club events, some not reported in the national newspapers.

"There's a fair bit of evidence of a lack of discipline over the past six months."

Mulvihill's comments come in the aftermath of high-profile assaults on referees in Kerry and Wexford and even in recent days at a colleges match in Dublin.

He commended the speed with which the Kerry County Board had dealt with the attack on a referee at a hurling championship match and the honesty with which the club had responded to swingeing suspension.

"It wasn't so much the suspension as the speed with which they dealt with it. I don't think it received enough publicity that the club that was disciplined said that they deserved it for what had happened.

"That's the first time I can remember a unit agreeing with a severe suspension."