SCT Final Referee Profiles

SCT Final 2026

Welcome to today’s Schools Senior Boys Challenge Cup Final in Tallaght Stadium.

Today’s match referee is Jack MacNeice. We wish Jack the very best of luck today.

Assisting Jack today is Max Weston and Ciaran O’Flynn. 

Jack began refereeing after injury forced him to reconsider his playing career. He played rugby from minis with Clontarf before playing schools rugby in Belvedere College.  However, following surgery on both shoulders, his father, Brian, who has long been involved in refereeing and now works as a TMO, encouraged him to give refereeing a try. 

Jack refereed his first game in 2022 after COVID. What initially started as a way to keep his dad happy quickly turned into something more, and he soon became hooked on refereeing.

He continued playing for another season with Clontarf J1s before ultimately deciding to focus fully on refereeing. Despite stepping away from playing, Jack remains closely connected to Clontarf and is very appreciative of the continued support from the club.

Jack has refereed across all divisions in the AIL and this season has worked as an assistant referee in the URC, EPCR, Rugby Europe and the U20 Six Nations. He has also had the opportunity to referee internationally, including at the U18 Six Nations Festival in Vichy, France, and at Craven Week in South Africa.

Max started refereeing at 16 years old following a playing injury for his club North Petherton RFC in Somerset, England. He joined the Leinster Rugby Referees having relocated from the UK in September 2023 and currently referees on the IRFU National Panel. He regularly referees AIL Division 1 and is an Assistant Referee in the URC. Recently, he refereed his first international game – Netherlands vs Georgia – which was a hugely proud moment. 

Ciarán played with Coolmine RFC and St Vincent’s Castleknock College, before stopping at 18 due to a series of injuries. He started refereeing youths rugby in 2019 as the next best alternative to playing and has since amassed over 400 games at all levels across Leinster, including the 2025 Metropolitan Cup final and the Leinster Schools Senior League final last December.

Now in his sixth full season as a referee, Ciarán officiates in the All‑Ireland League and has refereed three other Junior and Senior Schools Cup fixtures this season. He has previously worked as an assistant referee in the 2024 Junior Cup final and 2025 Provincial Towns Cup final, as well as No.4 official in the professional game.

Today’s other match officials are:

No 4 – Ezequiel Roldan Olivera

No 5 – Keith Spendlove

Time Official – Dan Wallace

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.