Irish refs chosen for Champions League

[Réiteoir]

Irish refs chosen for Champions League


UEFA has announced today that a number of the eircom League's FIFA referees and assistants have been appointed to upcoming Champions League and UEFA Cup fixtures.

Alan Kelly will take charge of next Tuesday's Champions League Second Qualifying Round, first leg tie in Oslo between Valerenga and FC Haka of Finland.

Eddie Foley, Martin Moloney and Anthony Buttimer complete the team of officials for that fixture.
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Meanwhile, Dave McKeon will referee the UEFA Cup First Qualifying Round, Second Leg tie between Metalurgs and Runavik next Thursday.

Ciaran Delaney, Dave Wogan and Pat Whelan will be the assistants and fourth official on the night.

Just so happens the leg in Oslo is the week before we go over there for the Norway Cup.
Can't watch the Norwegian club I follow (looking for results in the paper kind of follow) or an Irish referee in action live on a European game.

Good appointment though for Irish refereeing

[Munchie]

yes gud 4 irsh refereeing but cud turn out 4 the worst!! lets jus hope he has a gud game!

[Réiteoir]

yes gud 4 irsh refereeing but cud turn out 4 the worst!! lets jus hope he has a gud game!

Should have a good game - I've requested someone over there tape the first leg for me to pick up the following week

[Sheridan]

Thank heaven Buttimer is just the fourth official! And even charged with such menial duties, he'll probably kill a substitute with the electronic board or something.

McKeon will do fine, that tie is dead. Saw him handle an Ireland-Slovenia youth international during the winter and he was surprisingly good.

[scrappy harp]

O no not Alan Kelly , Not Alan Kelly..................................

[Réiteoir]

Thank heaven Buttimer is just the fourth official! And even charged with such menial duties, he'll probably kill a substitute with the electronic board or something.

McKeon will do fine, that tie is dead. Saw him handle an Ireland-Slovenia youth international during the winter and he was surprisingly good.

I do rate Dave very highly as a referee - never seen him have a bad game yet since achieving his FIFA badge

[superfrank]

Hopefully Squirrel has a good game and noone brushes against him....

Ah, no Rhona??

As much as I think she's an inept lineswoman, it would be good to see a woman out there.

[De Town]

O no not Alan Kelly , Not Alan Kelly..................................

i find him one of the better one's.

[terry9]

****in idiots the lot of them!

[sligoman]

I wonder how many years it will be until an Irish ref does the Champions league final?

[OneRedArmy]

Buttimer in Europe? The world has gone feckin crazy!?!?! He shouldn't be allowed a passport.

Kelly is actually a decent ref, as was his father, when you get past the gay hairdo.

[Réiteoir]

Thing is - under the old setup - we have never had an Irish referee officiate at either a major European or World Tournament (European Championships or World Cup) - or get anything approaching a big game in the European Club Competitions (UEFA, CL or ECWC).

With the new setup being implemented via the eL (School of Excellence, bringing through younger officials, etc.) - we are already beginning to see the rewards coming in (Alan Kelly being nominated to FIFA at the age of 26 - making him the youngest ever FIFA refere. On top of that, acheiving a Category 2 rating in UEFA - which is the third tier of refereeing in Europe - if he gets promoted in UEFA again next year, he'll be classified as a "Premier" Referee - and get given more and more Champions League and UEFA Cup games at later stages of the Competition)

Just to throw some names of other "Premier" grade UEFA Referees at you:
Matt Messias (England), Tom Ovrebo (Norway), Laurent Duhamel (France), Paul Allaerts (Belgium) - all top notch referees.

The new way of thinking in the eL Referee circles is already working - and I fully expect Alan Kelly to be the first Irish referee to officiate at a major International Tournament.

[Jerry The Saint]

i find him one of the better one's.

I can well imagine it after the Cup Final a couple of years ago! I wonder if anyone's taught him the offside rule yet.

I've no doubt that Kelly will get a big refereeing job at some stage - unfortunately it may be down to the image he's cultivating as much as reffing ability. There seems to be a trend at FIFA/UEFA to give big appointments to "celebrity refs". And he's clearly setting himself up to be Anders Frisk's replacement - can't wait until Mourinho has a chance to confront him.

[Da Real Rover]

Did ya hear that Hilda got some appointment aswell, she is a calamity, red useless. She shouldnt be allowed to show her face in a football ground after saturdays game.

[jorge]

That Kelly chap should go fcuk himself

Worst referee in the country.

[Stevo Da Gull]

Buttimer in Europe? The world has gone feckin crazy!?!?! He shouldn't be allowed a passport.

Quote Sheridan- Thank heaven Buttimer is just the fourth official! And even charged with such menial duties, he'll probably kill a substitute with the electronic board or something.


I agree on both counts, but hey look on the bright side lads, since he does have a passport maybe he'll get lost or fancy stayin somewhere (Jeez now if he actually does go misssin u know who the finger will be pointed at )

[The Stars]

This is a disgrace,Paul Deering tries so much every week to cost us points and yet he still isn't chosen for europe.

[scrappy harp]

I can well imagine it after the Cup Final a couple of years ago! I wonder if anyone's taught him the offside rule yet.

Not to mention the Harps vs derry relagation playoff .
Alan you can not take e free kick 20 yards from where the incident happened while the ball is still rolling...................