JCT Final Referee Profiles

JCT Final 2026

Welcome to today’s Schools Junior Boys Challenge Cup Final in Energia Park.

Today’s match referee is Kevin Beakey. We wish Kevin the very best of luck today.

Assisting Kevin today is Euan O’Riordan and Ross Shaughnessy. 

Kevin refereed his 1st game back in 2017, a few days after his 24th birthday. He was motivated to pick up the whistle after watching the referees on the Lions Summer Tour in NZ.  Not long after he signed up for the referee course with Leinster rugby and never looked back. 

9 years and over 200 games later Kevin now referees in the AIL. He travels to France next month to referee in the U18 6 Nations which is a hugely proud achievement for him and his family.

He loves school rugby and relishes the opportunity to be involved in any cup game as the Junior and Senior Cup provided so many happy memories for him as a player’

Euan started refereeing in 2022 following playing with Old Belvedere RFC and Gonzaga College. He was selected for the Leinster Development Group in 2023. Following a short break to study abroad, he was selected for the IRFU National Panel Development Group for the 24/25 season and promoted to the IRFU National Panel in December 2025. 

Euan mainly referees in the AIL and has enjoyed a memorable schools cup season. He refereed his first matches in the Senior Schools Cup when he took charge of Terenure v Kilkenny and the replay between St Gerards and Pres Bray. Euan also refereed the JCT Semi Final between Blackrock and St Marys. 

Ross was educated at Coláiste Iognáid (the Jes) in Galway, where he won two schools senior cup medals. He played youth and senior rugby with Galwegians RFC before moving to Dublin for work.

Ross continued playing rugby for a few seasons in Dublin before deciding to hang up his playing boots. He didn’t stay away from the pitch for very long as he decided to pick up the whistle shortly after his playing days ended.

Ross joined the LRR at the beginning of the 2020/2021 season but had to wait until the 2021/2022 season to referee his first match due to covid restrictions.

Ross was selected for the IRFU National Panel for the 2024/2025 season. He is in his second full season refereeing in the All Ireland League. Ross refereed the U20 Purcell Cup Final for the 2022/2023 season and the Metro Cup Final for the 2023/2024 season. Ross was the man in middle for the Leinster schools junior cup final last season and returns today to pass some words of advice to Kevin Beakey.

Today’s other match officials are:

No 4 – Jonny Hollywood

No 5 – James Fegan

Baggage Master – Simon Owens

We wish them all the very best on this wonderful occasion.

Want to get involved? 

Referees provide a vital function in servicing all levels of the game. Refereeing is also a fantastic hobby and is increasingly becoming a genuine alternative to playing the game.

Whether you have aspirations to referee at the highest level or to referee locally, there is a place for you. There are excellent support structures in place to develop referees and a thriving social aspect too.

Feel free to make contact with the Leinster Rugby Referees at brendan.conroy@leinsterugby.ie  If you are interested in becoming a referee get in contact with us through our Facebook, our website www.leinsterrugbyreferees.ie or through X @leinsterreferee.