SO THIS IS how it ends for Ger Brennan and his plucky Dublin senior football team of 2026: with a whole suitcase of grievances and injustices that they will toss onto the flea-ridden dosshouse bed with months to unpack.
He’s been a manager for a few years now at college and county level. You’d imagine he might spend the best part of the next decade being so. But Ger Brennan will never learn as much about the GAA and himself as he will have in 2026.
As he flips open the catches of his Samsonite, it will explode with the rage of Salthill and the altercation with Cian Breathnach-McGinn that earned him a ban for most of the championship.
Rooting through his belongings with a certain resignation, Brennan comes across the long-forgotten blue-moulded clingfilmed sandwich of Jim McGuinness’ shove on Diarmuid O’Connor that he escaped punishment for.
With a disgusted sneer he makes to discard the offending item, only to notice the blackened slime of the banana of GAA President Jarlath Burns describing comparisons of his suspension and McGuinness’ escape, as ‘irrational,’ coating the bottom of his case, ruining his smalls.
Despite it all, they still made it to the annual showdown against Kerry, only to be undone by a trio of decisions that could – should – have gone the opposite way.
It’s at this point that the sympathies of the reader neatly squares themselves off to two camps: those delighted that Dublin took a bating, and those who believe that no team enjoy the compassionate side of referees more than Kerry.
Injustices, numbers 1-3:
1. Ross McGarry’s flick – deflected by Paul Murphy for Mike Breen to do what we used to call in the playground a ‘facer.’ Do we know for certain that the ball was entirely over the line?
The panel debate whether Ross McGarry's palmed finish crossed the goal-line
"Every play was about inches, and I think all of the inches were taken by Kerry today......with some of the officiating"#SundayGamepic.twitter.com/Afo8AjOftH
From the angle of the camera in the corner of the net, there was a clear sight of light between the ball and the post Breen was on. That’s a goal to me, to you, to everyone.
2. Sean O’Brien square ball goal. This was a cut and dried case of ‘no goal.’
3. Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne’s tackle on Joe O’Connor. Maybe there was an exaggeration of the contact by O’Connor, thereby winning a penalty Kerry weren’t entitled to.
Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne is deemed to have fouled Joe O'Connor resulting in a penalty which David Clifford converts on the rebound
The litmus tests for penalties is to ask yourself if it had been given as a free if further out the field. This is what genuinely makes this a debatable case, leaving aside the face-clutching from O’Connor that so many Kerry players were guilty of on Sunday.
The reaction has been deservedly furious. It’s mainly held together by the belief that more technology should be available to referees for decisive moments in games.
At the heart of it, we repeat a theory that Ronan Early of this digital landscape has forwarded many times.
The GAA had a turnover of €142 million in 2025. That was up €9 million from the year before.
In an illuminating Irish Times piece where they followed intercounty referee David Gough for the entire day of a Donegal-Cork match, Gough recounted how the day started at 7.45am and would end at 10pm.
Preparation began days prior. He gathered his umpires early on to go through what they were looking out for.
His matchday fee was nothing. It did not exist. He gets 70 cent per mile he travels. Referees have half their gym fees paid. Half. They get a boot allowance of €250 every two years. Two years. The repetition comes from our amazement.
There are just 20 referees on the elite intercounty refereeing panel. They rely on friends, relations and clubmates for support as umpires.
Meanwhile, players give over their entire soul, spare time and in many cases, emotional stability to be part of a top intercounty team.
Their season could be ended in a blink because an umpire doesn’t notice a player in the square before the ball goes in.
Their season might continue to an All-Ireland final, if an umpire had noticed that a ball actually crossed a goal line.
We repeat the fact from further up, that the GAA had a turnover of €142 million in 2025. With two sold-out All Ireland football semi-finals for the first time ever, and attendances up in general, they should top that again in 2026.
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'It's a no-brainer' - Sunday Game panel call for introduction of goal-line technology
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Con O'Callaghan appealing with referee Brendan Cawley to consult the big screen replays. james lawlor photos
james lawlor photos
It’s long since been accepted that there is a healthy, amateur side of the GAA. That exists in volunteerism, coaching and underage development.
The association would not have grown without people giving up their time in this way. It would not continue to thrive without it. It’s become almost trite to talk about the bedrock of amateurism, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
There should be no room for amateurism, however, at the top end of intercounty football and hurling.
Suitable changes would be subtle. For example, from the All-Ireland quarter-final on, umpires should be fully-qualified referees at the least. Exposure to big games would provide a pathway onto the elite refereeing panel.
Whoever set the rate of paying HALF of referee gym fees needs a serious talking to. In an era when players are abbed up from Walsh Cup to Sam Maguire deciders, we need to see referees in better shape to cope with the physical demands.
We’d go even further and suggest that a monthly stipend towards a qualified personal trainer should be awarded. As for the measly bi-annual grant towards boots, is it any wonder referees are running around in trainers?
The GAA have embraced technology. Hawkeye stirs up the occasional controversy and electronic scoreboards have been responsible for monumental f-ups in recent seasons.
It would make sense for goal line technology to follow. In the new era of Gaelic football played as it is, having some suspense-building breaks might also be kinder on players.
Right now we have a fairly ridiculous situation where players are appealing with referees to look up at big screens to see replays of decisions they clearly got wrong. And the referees are not permitted to do so.
Whatever is decided upon, greater investment must follow, to get fairer results.
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The GAA's skinflint attitude towards refereeing has to change
SO THIS IS how it ends for Ger Brennan and his plucky Dublin senior football team of 2026: with a whole suitcase of grievances and injustices that they will toss onto the flea-ridden dosshouse bed with months to unpack.
He’s been a manager for a few years now at college and county level. You’d imagine he might spend the best part of the next decade being so. But Ger Brennan will never learn as much about the GAA and himself as he will have in 2026.
As he flips open the catches of his Samsonite, it will explode with the rage of Salthill and the altercation with Cian Breathnach-McGinn that earned him a ban for most of the championship.
Rooting through his belongings with a certain resignation, Brennan comes across the long-forgotten blue-moulded clingfilmed sandwich of Jim McGuinness’ shove on Diarmuid O’Connor that he escaped punishment for.
With a disgusted sneer he makes to discard the offending item, only to notice the blackened slime of the banana of GAA President Jarlath Burns describing comparisons of his suspension and McGuinness’ escape, as ‘irrational,’ coating the bottom of his case, ruining his smalls.
Despite it all, they still made it to the annual showdown against Kerry, only to be undone by a trio of decisions that could – should – have gone the opposite way.
It’s at this point that the sympathies of the reader neatly squares themselves off to two camps: those delighted that Dublin took a bating, and those who believe that no team enjoy the compassionate side of referees more than Kerry.
Injustices, numbers 1-3:
1. Ross McGarry’s flick – deflected by Paul Murphy for Mike Breen to do what we used to call in the playground a ‘facer.’ Do we know for certain that the ball was entirely over the line?
From the angle of the camera in the corner of the net, there was a clear sight of light between the ball and the post Breen was on. That’s a goal to me, to you, to everyone.
2. Sean O’Brien square ball goal. This was a cut and dried case of ‘no goal.’
3. Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne’s tackle on Joe O’Connor. Maybe there was an exaggeration of the contact by O’Connor, thereby winning a penalty Kerry weren’t entitled to.
The litmus tests for penalties is to ask yourself if it had been given as a free if further out the field. This is what genuinely makes this a debatable case, leaving aside the face-clutching from O’Connor that so many Kerry players were guilty of on Sunday.
The reaction has been deservedly furious. It’s mainly held together by the belief that more technology should be available to referees for decisive moments in games.
At the heart of it, we repeat a theory that Ronan Early of this digital landscape has forwarded many times.
The GAA had a turnover of €142 million in 2025. That was up €9 million from the year before.
In an illuminating Irish Times piece where they followed intercounty referee David Gough for the entire day of a Donegal-Cork match, Gough recounted how the day started at 7.45am and would end at 10pm.
Preparation began days prior. He gathered his umpires early on to go through what they were looking out for.
His matchday fee was nothing. It did not exist. He gets 70 cent per mile he travels. Referees have half their gym fees paid. Half. They get a boot allowance of €250 every two years. Two years. The repetition comes from our amazement.
There are just 20 referees on the elite intercounty refereeing panel. They rely on friends, relations and clubmates for support as umpires.
Meanwhile, players give over their entire soul, spare time and in many cases, emotional stability to be part of a top intercounty team.
Their season could be ended in a blink because an umpire doesn’t notice a player in the square before the ball goes in.
Their season might continue to an All-Ireland final, if an umpire had noticed that a ball actually crossed a goal line.
We repeat the fact from further up, that the GAA had a turnover of €142 million in 2025. With two sold-out All Ireland football semi-finals for the first time ever, and attendances up in general, they should top that again in 2026.
It’s long since been accepted that there is a healthy, amateur side of the GAA. That exists in volunteerism, coaching and underage development.
The association would not have grown without people giving up their time in this way. It would not continue to thrive without it. It’s become almost trite to talk about the bedrock of amateurism, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
There should be no room for amateurism, however, at the top end of intercounty football and hurling.
Suitable changes would be subtle. For example, from the All-Ireland quarter-final on, umpires should be fully-qualified referees at the least. Exposure to big games would provide a pathway onto the elite refereeing panel.
Whoever set the rate of paying HALF of referee gym fees needs a serious talking to. In an era when players are abbed up from Walsh Cup to Sam Maguire deciders, we need to see referees in better shape to cope with the physical demands.
We’d go even further and suggest that a monthly stipend towards a qualified personal trainer should be awarded. As for the measly bi-annual grant towards boots, is it any wonder referees are running around in trainers?
The GAA have embraced technology. Hawkeye stirs up the occasional controversy and electronic scoreboards have been responsible for monumental f-ups in recent seasons.
It would make sense for goal line technology to follow. In the new era of Gaelic football played as it is, having some suspense-building breaks might also be kinder on players.
Right now we have a fairly ridiculous situation where players are appealing with referees to look up at big screens to see replays of decisions they clearly got wrong. And the referees are not permitted to do so.
Whatever is decided upon, greater investment must follow, to get fairer results.
Players, supporters and referees deserve better.
*****
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