JOE MCQUILLAN HAS been confirmed as the Irish referee for the International Rules clash against Australian on Saturday, 21 November, at Croke Park.
The Cavan whistler will share refereeing duties on the field of play with Australia’s Mat Nicholls.
South African, Ian Curlewis, is the Video Match Referee with Eddie Kinsella (Laois) announced as stand-by referee.
McQuillan, who was on stand-by for last year’s Test match in Australia, is vastly experienced having taken charge of two All-Ireland Senior finals (2011 and 2013) in a 13 year Inter-County career.
This year he refereed Dublin v Mayo in the drawn All-Ireland semi-final – and sent off Dublin star Diarmuid Connolly.
Mat Nicholls was also the stand-by referee for the 2014 Test match.
He has been umpiring in the AFL since 2003 and in the intervening 12 years has taken charge of more than 200 AFL games including the 2013 and 2014 Grand Finals when Hawthorn had comfortable victories over Fremantle and Sydney Swans respectively.
Ian Curlewis has been involved in the International Rules series for the past number of years as Video Match Referee.
He boasts vast experience in this role, also officiating in Rugby Union.
In his role as Video Match Referee he may be called upon to assist the referees in determining Black and Red Card Infractions, together with adjudication on any score, and consideration on whether fouls were committed inside or outside the rectangles.
Stand-by Referee, Eddie Kinsella, is also vastly experienced and reached the pinnacle in Gaelic football refereeing last year when he took charge of the All-Ireland final between Kerry and Donegal.
In 2015 he was the “man in the middle” for the Dublin v Mayo All-Ireland semi-final replay.
