Seán Moran gets the views of National Referees' Committee spokesman Fr Séamus Gardiner in the aftermath of the controversial events in Omagh

The issue of physical fouling and indiscipline hasn't featured recently on the agenda of the National Referees' Committee. According to the NRC spokesman, Fr Séamus Gardiner, the emphasis in the lead-up to the National League was elsewhere.

In the aftermath of the events in Omagh at the weekend there had been suggestions that referee Paddy Russell could have abandoned the match in the face of persistent brawling and disorder.

"I haven't seen it done," says Gardiner about abandonment. "And to be fair we've never discussed it at referees' meetings. Last week they were asked to concentrate on the hand pass and pick-up, because we've been getting a lot of complaints about those areas, but there was nothing about the physical side of the game."

He feels that in the circumstances it was fortunate an experienced referee had charge of the match.

"We were lucky that it was someone like Paddy Russell there. For a younger referee that would have been an awful introduction."

Gardiner says there isn't a problem of disrespectful attitudes towards referees at intercounty level.

"I feel it's much worse at club level. We used to have the system that a referee started at juvenile level, but we're actually rethinking that because the pressure and abuse from some parents and mentors has got so bad. I don't think the issue of respect has anything to do with the weekend.

"By and large we get the feedback that there isn't a problem with players and that their attitude is fine."

Neither is he thoroughly convinced by the comparisons between the respect given to rugby referees and the situation in Gaelic games, but he does concede attitudes are different.

"The whole game is so static, whereas football and hurling are moving all the time and there's no offside. We envy the respect shown at all levels to rugby referees. I have a friend who's involved in coaching rugby and he says that that respect starts at a very early age, that it's drummed into young players."

Coincidentally, a meeting between referees and intercounty managers will take place next week. It was originally scheduled for the beginning of last week but fell foul of the weather. The annual meeting will feature a number of talks, designed to improve liaison between intercounty teams and the disciplinary apparatus.

"That was fixed for last week, but had to be postponed. It takes place once a year and is often badly attended, but there are sometimes complaints about the notice. Hopefully there's been enough notice for this meeting. It will cover three areas: games administration, refereeing, and then Con Hogan will talk about the CDC."

Hogan, chair of the Central Disciplinary Committee, has already addressed the referees about the need to be specific in their reports. Gardiner also says that the basis for judging referees has been upgraded.

"There's a new assessment form, which is far more demanding and works on the basis of starting the referee with 100 and deducting points every time an error is made."