National Panel Referees for 20/21

This week, the IRFU announced the National Panel of Referees for the 2020/21 season, with two new additions to the panel from Leinster.

Michael Forrestal of MU Barnhall and Sam Holt of Edenderry RFC, both successfully came through the Irish Provincial Assessment System (IPAS) and were both promoted to the panel for the coming season.

This is a very positive reflection of the work put into the Leinster  Rugby Referees development referees by Steve Griffiths (Development Group Manager) and Barry O’Keeffe (Referee Coach Manager). They, supported by their team of referee coaches, are responsible for identifying and developing referees who show potential to be selected for the National Panel.

These referees officiate at Energia All-Ireland League level and that is their primary duty. However, they also fulfil roles such as fourth and fifth official in the Guinness PRO14 and EPCR competitions. Some of the referees at Level 1 and 2 also fulfil Assistant Referee roles in the same competitions.

Leinster Rugby Referees on the National Panel 2020/2021 season:

High Performance Referee
Sean Gallagher – Navan RFC

Level 1 Referee
Andrew Cole – Old Wesley RFC
Dermot Blake – Lansdowne FC
Nigel Correll – Old Wesley RFC
Paul Haycock – Terenure College RFC
Cillian Hogan – Old Belvedere RFC

Level 2 Referee
John Carvill – Bective Rangers FC
Glenn Sheridan – Old Wesley RFC

Level 3 Referee
John Flynn – Blackrock College RFC
Sam Holt – Edenderry RFC
Colm Roche – Lansdowne FC
Michael Forrestal – MU Barnhall RFC
Paul O’Connor (unattached)
Padraic Reidy (unattached)