Fergal Horgan makes his return to hurling refereeing in Tipperary!

Fergal Horgan makes his return to club refereeing in Tipperary - for one game at least - tonight at the Dillon Quirke GAA Grounds, Clonoulty for an Under 19 B hurling divisional Group 1 final between Eire Og/Sean Treacys and Arravale Rovers. 

The former goalkeeper, who won an All-Ireland minor hurling medal in 1996, was one of the most respected officials in the game and he previously refereed All-Ireland senior hurling finals in 2017, 2020 and 2021.

He also was the main official at the 2017 and 2019 All-Ireland club finals and over the years he also refereed four All-Ireland hurling semi-finals. He was held in the utmost respect by players and spectators alike. 

The popular Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams clubman sensationally stepped away earlier this year from the role after becoming disillusioned with intercounty refereeing and Croke Park's Central Referees Appointments Committee.

At the time he stepped aside, Horgan told Tipperary Mid West Radio that he was unhappy at having refereed just two matches in the national hurling league and following on from that he did a Q and A with the Tipperary Star newspaper where he made the point that players get to play every week but referees are at a disadvantage on big days unless they are refereeing as much as players get to play.

He said it was important that referees are up to the pace with the players to ensure quality officiating, and to do that they must be refereeing weekly not sporadically across the year. You can read that interview here: https://www.tipperarylive.ie/news/home/1150884/fergal-horgan-interview-the-way-it-is-going-you-wont-have-referees-for-matches.html

Tonights West Tipperary Under 19 B hurling game between Eire Og/Sean Treacys and Arravale Rovers throws in at 6.15pm.