Biased Dublin Refs

**Aaron** · 23/09/2006, 9:58 PM

big deal. get a life, its football. teams get screwed every week one way or the other. nothing to do with biased dub refs, just poor officials. I can understand derry fans whinging if you were in relagation trouble but you are flying high so big deal. o ye, good luck in paris.

All this crap about "its football" really gets on my wick. Crap refereeing and biased refereeing is part of the reason why teams live or survive. And it is a big deal!!

Last year, lowly Galway United had to go to Turners Cross for a Cup replay. Local ref, Alan Kelly officiated. Extra Time seemed likely as the minnows from the First Divison were standing up to Premier Divison leaders.

And then City got a penalty for nothing. The rest is history.

Cork referee bias? If there was a ref from Galway, Sligo, Derry, wherever, then he (or indeed she) should not be the ref.

Same can be said of Dublin refs when Dublin teams are playing. It's an age old story.

This shud never have been allowed to happen! There shud always be a rule, even at that common sense shud prevail as refs from a city shud not be allowed to officiate in games involving teams from the same city as the ref. The English Premiership is an example; Mark Clattenburg is from Newcastle, when they are playing, he is probably at the other side of the country officiating in another game. The FA Cup is another example, Mike Dean was scheduled to ref the FA Cup final but was pulled out because he was from the wirral and Liverpool reached the final. This was to avoid any chance of the ref being biased! Things like this only make people like Roddy Collins and Dermot Keely who criticise the league for being amateur sound as if they are right! And none of us want that......do we?

**John83** · 23/09/2006, 11:30 PM

I'm sick of this pro-Dublin conspiracy nonsense. I'm from Dublin, and I'd as soon shaft Bohs as Cork. I have no particular dislike of either, but the fact that Bohs are from Dublin would mean sweet FA to me.

**Peadar** · 24/09/2006, 8:41 AM

Originally Posted by City till I Die

Monday nite and tonite proved that referees are corrupt. They are clearly favouring dublin teams against teams outside of the city.

There's a difference between being corrupt and being incompetant!

Originally Posted by el punter

How do you explain the multitude of bizarre decisions in Dublin derbies then.

And I would expect many a Gypsy curse to come your way citing the Devlin goal that wasn't and the Fabio goal that was.

So it's true, Bray and Drogheda are in Dublin? I knew it!

Originally Posted by City till I Die

This shud never have been allowed to happen! There shud always be a rule, even at that common sense shud prevail as refs from a city shud not be allowed to officiate in games involving teams from the same city as the ref.

That's complete nonsense! There are more clubs and more referees from Dublin. Are we to stagger the league so that we cancel games for Dublin clubs, simply because there's no referee from a neutral county available?
Why do people think that referee's are fans of a club, just because they're from the same county? If anything, the very fact that they decided to become a referee would suggest that they dislike football and want to harm it.

The Galway thing in the cup is just sour grapes. The game was replayed at short notice, during the week and Alan Kelly was available. Galway were never going to win anything so crying over that game for well over a year is just plain sad.

**Aaron** · 24/09/2006, 12:02 PM

Why do people think that referee's are fans of a club, just because they're from the same county?

I nor anyone else never said refs were fans of any particular clubs!! I said they were biased towards clubs!!

The Galway thing in the cup is just sour grapes. The game was replayed at short notice, during the week and Alan Kelly was available. Galway were never going to win anything so crying over that game for well over a year is just plain sad.

Things like this show people like Collins and Keely know wot they are talking about. The League should have prepared themselves incase there was a replay and assigned a ref for that game at notice before the tie. We all preach at how we think Collins and Keely talk the biggest load of balls but every time things like this happen, they sound more and more correct about this league!!

**EnDai** · 24/09/2006, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by 1Davy

Funny all the Dubs here believe there is no biased refs, just bad.

Dub referees are rotten to the core, when refereeing Shels games.

Read a report on the game on the Shels site and you will read that Tuite also missed a cert penalty when Heary handed in the box.

But that's not biased just bad.

He could have given Jenning a yellow card, but give him a Red one

But that's not biased just bad.

He could have given Forde a yellow card, but give him a Red one

But that's not biased just bad.

He could have given Brennan a yellow card, but give him a Red one

But that's not biased just bad.

He could have given Heary a Red card, but he ignored the punch he threw.

But that's not biased just bad.

ALL these decisions went Shels way

But that's not biased just bad

Don't forget Sean Hargan. Could have picked up about 6 yellow cards over the 2 games recently, got one. Should have been sent off in both games, early in both games aswell (first half in both could have gone). Stayed on the pitch for both.

Clearly another case of someone favour Shelbourne.

**BohDiddley** · 24/09/2006, 3:58 PM

Piece in the Sindo today claiming Dub ref bias, on the basis of the Shels-Derry debacle.
Neatly evades any mention of the serial atrocities committed against Bohs this season.

**Dr.Nightdub** · 24/09/2006, 5:03 PM

Two examples involving Pats:

First one was last night, us away to Sligo, ref was Hancock - from Dublin. Their winger was about three yards off when he received a pass, he crossed into the box, they scored and their fightback was on.

Second one was a cup game a few years ago, ref was that stumpy little bald tosser from Dublin, now retired from ref'ing and whose name I have thankfully forgotten (possibly Whelan but don't hold me to that). Pats are 1-0 up heading into the half time break, Ozo gets chopped in half by an opponent, opponent lands on top of him, Ozo pushes him off angrily, Ozo gets red card, everyone knows how influential he was for us, we end up losing. The game? Away to Derry in the Brandywell.

**Aaron** · 24/09/2006, 7:19 PM

Ozo pushes him off angrily

Pushed him off angrily, he hit him a slap in the face FFS!!!

**Aaron** · 24/09/2006, 8:09 PM

any link??

**OneRedArmy** · 24/09/2006, 9:35 PM

Originally Posted by pete

100% definite red card. The keeper was 10 yards outside his box & his hand prevented the ball from advancing towards the goal. What other decision could the ref give.

Only saw the replay & brainless goalkeeping of the highest degree. Keepers have a penalty area for a reason. What was he doing outside the box? What other decision could the ref give? You cannot leave players off because they thick.

Learn the rules of the game and then come back and join the discussion about how they are applied.

3 word "clear goalscoring opportunity". Doesn't matter if the keeper is 2 yards outside the box or 20 and it doesn't matter whether its a handball or a trip.

**sonofstan** · 24/09/2006, 9:50 PM

Sweeney's article;
T has long been an article of faith among Eircom League fans outside the capital that some big Dublin teams have benefitted from poor refereeing decisions. Back in the days of the League of Ireland, Shamrock Rovers were the top Dublin team and the chief beneficiaries. These days it's Shelbourne who seem to get a perpetual rub of the green.

This could not have been more graphically demonstrated than it was on Friday night during the biggest match of the season so far in domestic soccer.

I should make it clear that I'm not accusing Paul Tuite (Friday night's referee) of anything other than making a terrible call, in good faith, at a crucial moment. With second-placed Derry City leading 2-0 at Tolka Park and apparently cruising to victory, their goalkeeper Pat Jennings was sent off for bringing down Jason Byrne.

The fact that there were a couple of Derry defenders in covering position meant the offence looked worth no more than a yellow card. Don't just take my word for it, that was the opinion of Shelbourne stalwart Mick Neville after the game.

The net result of this howler by the referee was that the game changed completely. Derry did not have a goalkeeper on the bench so they were forced to put striker Stephen O'Flynn between the sticks. So, in addition to being a man short they had no recognised 'keeper. Shels duly scored two goals, neither of which would have gone in had Jennings been there, and earned a draw which could be crucial in the title race.

City manager Stephen Kenny was understandably apoplectic after the final whistle speaking about Derry being "isolated in the North West," with no one to fight their corner and vowing that his players would rise above it. Kenny just happens to be the best young manager the League has ever produced, having wrought miracles on a budget, first with Longford and now with Derry.

He is not one of life's complainers, but Kenny knows which way the cookie tends to crumble. Fans of Derry, of Sligo Rovers, of Cork City and Finn Harps have witnessed a series of appalling decisions over the years, decisions which have had a material effect on the destination of honours.

Mistakes happen. But this mistake might well cost Derry the league title.

Had they won in Tolka, as they undoubtedly would have if that red card hadn't been so hastily flashed, they'd have been just four points behind Shelbourne with three games in hand. Now the gap is seven. You can be sure the scheduling of those extra games won't do the Candystripes any favours.

Every season there is much big talk from the likes of Shels about the necessity to improve the Eircom League. But one obvious flaw is never addressed. The standard of refereeing is a total joke. It doesn't matter what structural tinkering you do with the league if you can't guarantee the highest standards of refereeing for the teams on the pitch.

After Friday Derry might be wondering if they'd get better treatment in the Irish League. And perhaps, just perhaps, the big Dublin clubs won't mind them wondering.

**el punter** · 24/09/2006, 9:52 PM

Originally Posted by sonofstan

Sweeney's article;

Looks to me like Mr Sweeney was somewhat inspired by this thread and just padded out a few of the posts.

**razor** · 24/09/2006, 9:54 PM

If Kenny had put another keeper on the bench the other night then Derry would have probably won and he wouldn't have to keep harping on about refs.
Think they are more than likely crap as opposed to biased.Always thought Tuite wasn't too bad, Stokes is awful.

**Sheridan** · 24/09/2006, 9:56 PM

Pats are 1-0 up heading into the half time break, Ozo gets chopped in half by an opponent, opponent lands on top of him, Ozo pushes him off angrily, Ozo gets red card, everyone knows how influential he was for us, we end up losing. The game? Away to Derry in the Brandywell.

Pffffff. I'll see your red card and raise you a penalty for a handball in the box that wasn't a handball and wasn't in the box back in 2004 (Ref: D McKeon - Dublin.)

**sonofstan** · 24/09/2006, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Pffffff. I'll see your red card and raise you a penalty for a handball in the box that wasn't a handball and wasn't in the box back in 2004 (Ref: D McKeon - Dublin.)

Sorry, but it's going to be hard to beat our three aces, all from this year - the penalty that wasn't a penalty and was 3 yards outside the box (McKeon, in Drogheda), the goal that was a goal but wasn't given because Alan Kelly thought it instead defied the laws of physics (Paul Devlin in the Carlisle grounds) and the 'goal' that was given that never came close to crossing the line (Drogs at Dalymount)

**Sheridan** · 24/09/2006, 10:06 PM

I should have clarified that Mr McKeon's spatial confusion favoured Derry City over Dublin City in a fixture at the Brandywell.

**dfx-** · 24/09/2006, 10:06 PM

Is this thread still going?

**Sheridan** · 24/09/2006, 10:18 PM

Oh, the pathology has yet to attain its fastigium. Observe this case study for a stark demonstration of just how intellectually debilitating the condition can become.

Originally Posted by �anna

Those officials were paid to give shels that game. I have no doubt whatsoever- I'll swear it on everything I own. It was a fix. Whether shels bought him, or Setanta paid him off to make the final game more interesting i don't know, but the goal aside (I haven't seen it on tv yet) he gave every possible (and some impossible) decisions to shels. Robbery of the highest order. The fact that EVERY player (shels included) played on afterwards is proof enough IMO

Message for Shels and their fans- don't bother calling George a cheat after tonight, ok?

**Aaron** · 25/09/2006, 12:14 AM

Oh, the pathology has yet to attain its fastigium. Observe this case study for a stark demonstration of just how intellectually debilitating the condition can become.

Quote:
Originally Posted by �anna
Those officials were paid to give shels that game. I have no doubt whatsoever- I'll swear it on everything I own. It was a fix. Whether shels bought him, or Setanta paid him off to make the final game more interesting i don't know, but the goal aside (I haven't seen it on tv yet) he gave every possible (and some impossible) decisions to shels. Robbery of the highest order. The fact that EVERY player (shels included) played on afterwards is proof enough IMO

Message for Shels and their fans- don't bother calling George a cheat after tonight, ok?

Most quotes bar the personal attacks from cork fans were true! They wur robbed and typical Shels try defend the fact they got away with an extremely shocking decision by the linesman. Exact same with the Drogs goal against bohs a few weeks ago! I am pointing out here that the standard of refereeing is brutal but when it comes to regional teams playing shels or some other dublin clubs with a dublin ref in charge they are either robbed by shocking refereeing or made to fight for every decision, unlike the dubliners who have it spoon fed to them! Its disgraceful!!