Referees Corner – JCT Final

JCT Final 2024

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

Todays match referee is Ross Shaughnessy. 

Ross was educated at Coláiste Iognáid 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 finishing his playing days.

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

Ross was selected for the IRFU National Panel for the 2024/2025 season, having refereed in Leinster and other provinces through the IPAS selection system the previous season. He is refereeing his first schools cup final today, having refereed the U20 Purcell Cup Final in the 2022/2023 season and the Metro Cup Final in the 2023/2024 season.

We wish Ross the very best of luck today.

Assisting Ross today are Euan O’Riordan and Eze Roland. 

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 has gained experience refereeing outside Leinster in the other provinces.

He has thoroughly enjoyed his first schools cup campaign, highlighted by refereeing a Junior Cup quarterfinal between Congowes and Newbridge, as well as being an assistant for St Michaels V Blackrock and St Fintans and Terenure in the Senior Cup quarter and semi final.

Eze was Born and educated in Argentina where he played rugby for Hurling Club an Irish club sited in Buenos Aires, after he finished college he started travelling around the world and found his place in Ireland. Where he joined the Leinster Rugby Referee in the 2022/2023 to stay in touch and be part of the game. At the moment he is in his second year of Leinster development group where he is developing himself to move to the next step, IRFU panel. 

Schools rugby is always a thoroughly enjoyable part of the season and Eze had the privilege of refereeing the JCT first round in 2024 and 2025 at Energia Park.

Today’s other match officials are 

No 4 – Simon ‘Nigel’ Owens

No 5 – Oliver Clarke 

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 hayley.whyte@leinsterrugby.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.