Ladies Gaelic Football

ladiesgaelic.ie // 43 REBECCA McPHILBIN INTERVIEW Volume 14 | Issue No 1 | PEIL Spring By Jackie Cahill T was at Annette Clarke's Laochra Gael launch in 2016 when the idea was first floated. Former Galway star Rebecca McPhilbin was shooting the breeze with well-known administrator and match oºcial Maura Conneally when a level 1 refereeing coaching course was mentioned. Conneally had refereed McPhilbin previously but the good-natured banter contained a subtle invitation. Conneally suggested to McPhilbin that she give the refereeing a try. "I didn't take much notice of it at the time," McPhilbin recalls now. But soon, she saw the courses advertised on Facebook and a follow-up text message from Conneally piqued McPhilbin's interest. After all, what had she to lose? As a player, she'd been frustrated at times by perceived inconsistencies in the application of rules. And so McPhilbin said she'd give the level 1 course a go, to see what life was like on the other side of the fence. "I did a few underage games, to see how that was, and the following year the level 2 came up," McPhilbin explains. "I said it would do it, they don't come around too often." The next step for McPhilbin was to tackle the Connacht Accelerate Referee course. A quality technician with Medtronic in Galway, work commitments have sometimes meant that McPhilbin has had to make herself unavailable for games, particular Post-Primary School matches. Galway Player Rebecca McPhilbin tries out a new Role But McPhilbin, who returned to club football with St Brendan's this year after taking a couple of years out, is enjoying the refereeing journey. "It's not the easiest job in the world," she freely admits. "There were a lot of rules that I didn't know before I did the courses, and all the giving out I used to be at! "It's more management at times shouting on the sideline that can put you o". "You need a thick skin to zone in on what you're doing and not take any notice." Before transitioning into refereeing, McPhilbin enjoyed a successful inter-county career with Galway. A 2002 TG4 All-Ireland junior medallist, the now 34-year-old was cruelly denied the experience of senior glory in 2004 with cruciate knee ligament damage. But she did sample an All-Ireland title win during her playing career – in 2001 when St Brendan's claimed the intermediate crown. As a player, she was never afraid to express her views to referees but becoming one has fostered an increased respect for the men and women in black. "Absolutely," she says. "I think they have the worst job in the world! "I don't know how they do it, even at the top level, to make a split decision if something's a penalty or not can make a big di"erence. "Even giving a yellow card and making sure it's the right call – yellow or red. "A lot of people wouldn't know me, a few would," says McPhilbin, when asked if her experience as a player gains her more respect when oºciating. "It depends. I was reºng a challenge game between the Galway minors and another county and their manager didn't shut up for the whole game, at it constantly, no matter whether you made the right call or not. "You need to get that thick skin." McPhilbin's highest-profile fixture as a referee to date was the Connacht minor club championship semi-final last year, between Roscommon's Clann na nGael and Leitrim opponents Glencar-Manorhamilton. And while she recognises and understands the challenges associated with refereeing, McPhilbin says that she's thoroughly enjoying the pathway. She explains: "The courses were very well run. I'd recommend anyone to do them even if they don't want to ref at a high level. "You learn so many rules of the game doing the course. There are a lot of parents thrown into coaching because their kids are involved but they wouldn't know the rules. "I'll referee whatever games I get. The more games you get, the more experience you gain, no more than playing the game. "There are a lot of rules that, even as a player, you wouldn't know. "There really is a lot to refereeing – you wouldn't realise until you go and do the course. "With the Accelerate course, we have four modules. One whole day is one part of it and then you have a couple of months to the next module, and another day then. "You have to ref games in between and there are a couple of tests to do online." Refereeing may be a new departure for McPhilbin but she can also appreciate what match oºcials go through, with a new perspective, having returned to the playing scene. She says: "I stopped inter-county after 2015 and I stopped with the club too. "I went back to the club this year. I had a few of them onto me about coming back. "I bought a place down there and I'm going to be down there a lot. "I'll go back for the year and see how I get on. I wasn't too sure if my body would be able for another year of it, that intensity of playing football, but it's ok so far." I

• Cover