Ladies Gaelic Football

www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SPRING 2022 | 63 Development LGFA the same routine prior to games in Ireland, this wasn't the case in Abu Dhabi. The number of matches in one day was not something I was used to and particularly the case when the Senior Final is the last match of the day and tiredness is setting in. What was a standout moment from your trip? Standout moment was refereeing the Ladies Senior Final between Abu Dhabi Na Fianna and Sharjah Gaels. If you had one piece of advice for someone starting out as a referee, what would it be? Get a referee buddy/mentor that will act as a guide and as a support to you during the year. I have found it extremely beneficial to have a mentor that can be at my games and gives constructive feedback that will help me to move forward in future games and progress to the next level. Name: Mairead Dullea Club: Bantry Blues County: Cork What was your pathway to refereeing? I started refereeing in 2016 along with a few of my clubmates, although we were all still playing football. The main reason I took up refereeing was so that I could still be involved in Ladies Football when my playing days were over. In 2018, I joined the National Linesperson panel and this has helped me in my own refereeing – being part of a team of officials of the highest standard is very beneficial as you learn something new from each of the officials you work with. I have officiated a few County finals to date and these are great occasions to be involved in. Due to injury last year, I was side-lined for the season but thankfully I'm back on the pitch again and looking forward to the 2022 season. You recently attended the Middle East Finals, how did you find the experience? It was a fantastic experience, even if a bit hectic. Think of your regular blitz here at home and then scale it up about ten times! The level of organisation was superb, and the host club (Abu Dhabi Na Fianna) were brilliant in looking after us while we were there. My job was relatively easy as the players were there to showcase their talents - the games were of a very high standard and while competitive, they were all played in good spirit. Needless to say, I met a few people I knew from home and it was great to catch up with them between matches. How did you prepare for the trip? The first thing was to buy some factor 50 and hydration tablets! For me, making sure I was physically fit and up to speed again following a long lay-off was important, so a few sessions on the pitch in the weeks beforehand helped. After that, it was brushing up on the playing rules and getting the gear packed. What challenges did you experience refereeing during the Middle East Finals, if any? There were a few differences in the playing rules, given that it was 9-a-side, so making sure that I was being fair and consistent throughout the long day was the main challenge, especially given the heat! Much shorter kickouts were allowed so getting up to speed with this rule and not blowing the whistle was important. What was a standout moment from your trip? Listening to Amhrán na bhFiann being played before the Senior and Intermediate men's and ladies finals and seeing the huge numbers of players line up on the pitch and getting ready to do battle was very memorable as it highlighted the appetite there is for Gaelic Games in the Middle East. Off the pitch, getting to do a bit of sightseeing was brilliant too. If you had one piece of advice for someone starting off as a referee what would it be? Get yourself a critical friend who you can really trust to give you honest feedback and support. It can be tough starting out, so you need to make sure you listen to the right people as you build your confidence and gain experience. It'll definitely be worth it. "GET A REFEREE BUDDY/MENTOR THAT WILL ACT AS A GUIDE AND AS A SUPPORT TO YOU DURING THE YEAR. I HAVE FOUND IT EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A MENTOR THAT CAN BE AT MY GAMES AND GIVES CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK THAT WILL HELP ME TO MOVE FORWARD IN FUTURE GAMES AND PROGRESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL."

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