The GAA has confirmed the referees and match officials for the 2017 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior and Minor Championship finals on September 17 at Croke Park. Cavan’s Joe McQuillan has been confirmed as the referee for the senior final, while Anthony Nolan from Wicklow will officiate in the Electric Ireland Minor Final between Kerry and Derry.
From the Kill Shamrocks club in Cavan, the Dublin v Mayo decider will be Joe McQuillan’s third Senior Final having previously taken charge of the 2011 and 2013 Finals.
Joe has also refereed the All-Ireland Under 21 final in 2006, All Ireland Senior Club final 2008, three Leinster Finals, one Munster Final and two Ulster Finals.
In this year’s Football Championship, Joe has refereed the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final between Roscommon and Mayo, Ulster Senior Football Final between Tyrone and Down, Leinster Senior football Semi-Final between Meath and Kildare, and the Connacht Senior Football Semi-Final between Galway and Mayo.
“It is great honour with two big teams in it, so I’m just delighted,” McQuillan told GAA.ie.
“I found out this morning, I knew I was on the shortlist, but until you get the phonecall you are still never sure who is going to do it.
“I refereed Dublin and Mayo in the Final in 2013, and two years ago in the drawn Semi-Final. I’m familiar with both teams, I know the players involved. It should be an intriguing game between the two standout teams from the last couple of years, who keep coming to the top. It will be a great day.”
“You start out every year with the same ambition of refereeing an All Ireland Final,” McQuillan admits.
“When I started off refereeing many years ago an All Ireland Final was the furthest thing from my mind.
“As the years progressed and you develop into Ulster and national panels you begin to think that you might do one. To do one was great, to do two was fantastic, to get a third one is just brilliant. Not too many people get to do an All Ireland so to get three of them is fantastic.”
McQuillan’s umpires on the day will be Ciarán Brady, TP Gray (all Kill Shamrocks), Jimmy Galligan (Killygarry) and Mickie Lee (Drumalee).
Cork’s Conor Lane will be the standby referee. The other linesman is Padraig O’Sullivan (Kerry) and the Sideline official will be Niall Cullen (Fear Manach).
Anthony Nolan, who will be officiating the Minor final, is a member of the Baltinglass club.
In this year’s football championship, Anthony has refereed the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final Replay between Roscommon & Mayo and Round 4A fixture between Galway & Donegal, Leinster Senior Football Final between Dublin & Kildare and Round 1 Qualifier between Laois & Longford, Connacht Senior Football Championship between Roscommon & Leitrim. Also Anthony has refereed the Allianz Football League Division 3 Final between Louth and Tipperary.
His umpires on the day will be Damien Byrne (Kiltegan), Donal O’Keefe (Annacurra), Peter Case (Donard/Glen) and Patrick Doyle (Rathnew).
Mayo’s Jerome Henry will be the standby referee, the other linesman is James Molloy (Galway) and the Sideline Official will be Martin McNally (Monaghan).
By briangaa Tue 5th Sep
