The dearth of top-class umpires in Munster finally reared its head as a Division One men’s game was unable to be played due to the absence of sufficiently experienced officials.
The province has long relied on a small pool of volunteer umpires who are assigned to Division One games every weekend by the Munster Hockey Umpires Association.
But with many unavailable due to injury or personal circumstance, Cork Church of Ireland B and UCC were each told to supply an official for their clash at Garryduff.
Jane Bourke and Gillian Garrett discuss a decision. The C of I B v UCC men’s game was postponed due to a lack of suitable umpires. Picture: Ivan O’Riordan
This is standard practice in lower divisions but not many umpires are suitably experienced to handle the rigours of a top-level men’s game. Two such whistle-blowers could not be found; protocol suggests the teams’ coach, captain or manager should step in, but the clubs agreed to instead postpone the game.
Members of both clubs admitted privately that the scenario is likely to repeat in the near future, admitting that postponing games is not a viable long-term solution.
Of the men’s games that did go ahead, the most eye-catching result came at Bandon Grammar School as Bandon claimed a late Irish Hockey Trophy winner against North Down.
In a very even tie, the Ulster visitors somehow contrived to fire over a great chance from just three metres out, while Bandon were denied a penalty stroke when Ricky McMahon was felled after rounding the keeper.
But the hosts found a winner 90 seconds from time, German teenager Julius Händel sweeping home Fred McElroy’s cross with 90 seconds to go.
In the men’s Division One, Cork Harlequins had a handy 7-1 win over their own seconds to open up a six-point lead at the top of the table, though second-placed Cork C of I have two games in hand.
Irish Hockey Trophy: Armagh 0 Campbellians 2; Portadown 4 Bangor 1; Bandon 1 North Down 0; Queen’s Uni 4 Newry 2; South Antrim 2 Rathgar Chiefs 3; Munster Div 1: Cork Harlequins B 1 Cork Harlequins 7.
Post Author:
alangood
5 Replies to “Top flight tie off due to dearth of umpires”
I find it amazing that one person from each side would not stand in to umpire as per the rules. It is something that many of us had to do over the years or else many games would never have been played.
Not really – as Alan pointed out above, players standing in is fine in lower divisions, but putting two inexperienced or incapable umpires in charge of a game like that in Div 1 is counter productive and not fair on them, or the rest of the teams.
It shouldn’t be too much to expect that we can appoint umpires to Division 1.
It never came down to a person from each side stepping out of the game to umpire. It was decided on Friday evening and both sides agreed to postpone the game. There are Munster registered umpires on both teams that could and would have stepped up to umpire if game had gone ahead.
The surprise is that this does not happen more often. There are so few umpires available with the capacity to umpire at senior level. The few who are there have amazing dedication but they are not machines. A planned and structured approach is needed to develop a new generation of umpires, and the time to do this is now, when we have the quality of umpires around to mentor new talent.
Just spotted Dave’s comment above “… have amazing dedication but they are not machines”
This is so true. The dedicated umpires that I know are an amazing group. They give up so much personal time & travel great distances (especially if based outside Cork). All for the love of the game. And in return? … OCCASIONALLY … Vile verbal abuse. There are times I ask them “Why do you bother?” … and there is no answer.
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I find it amazing that one person from each side would not stand in to umpire as per the rules. It is something that many of us had to do over the years or else many games would never have been played.
Not really – as Alan pointed out above, players standing in is fine in lower divisions, but putting two inexperienced or incapable umpires in charge of a game like that in Div 1 is counter productive and not fair on them, or the rest of the teams.
It shouldn’t be too much to expect that we can appoint umpires to Division 1.
It never came down to a person from each side stepping out of the game to umpire. It was decided on Friday evening and both sides agreed to postpone the game. There are Munster registered umpires on both teams that could and would have stepped up to umpire if game had gone ahead.
The surprise is that this does not happen more often. There are so few umpires available with the capacity to umpire at senior level. The few who are there have amazing dedication but they are not machines. A planned and structured approach is needed to develop a new generation of umpires, and the time to do this is now, when we have the quality of umpires around to mentor new talent.
Just spotted Dave’s comment above “… have amazing dedication but they are not machines”
This is so true. The dedicated umpires that I know are an amazing group. They give up so much personal time & travel great distances (especially if based outside Cork). All for the love of the game. And in return? … OCCASIONALLY … Vile verbal abuse. There are times I ask them “Why do you bother?” … and there is no answer.