The rise of Waterford referees on League of Ireland stage
Waterford referee John Sconnie Walsh calms the tensions between Cobh's Breandán Frahill and Wexford's Aaron Dobbs during their SSE Airtricity Men's First Division game at St. Colman's Park. Photos: Howard Crowdy.
There was a big Waterford interest in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division at St. Colman’s Park on Friday evening last with many former Blues’ players playing with both clubs as Cobh Ramblers took on Wexford FC.
But there was the added interest in the fact that Waterford referee John Sconnie Walsh was in charge of the contest with fellow branch member Ian O’Keeffe acting as fourth official in just Walsh’s second game in the middle at the grade.
The rise of the former Carrick United player in refereeing is something that he never envisaged himself as he’ll be the first to admit that the man in black, yellow, green or whatever jersey wasn’t his favourite person.
A change of career beckoned after retiring from the local game where he won numerous honours including Premier League titles, a Munster Junior Cup twice, the Munster Senior Cup, and of course the FAI Junior Cup in a decade of dominance from the Coolnamuck club.
It was the move to refereeing that even surprised many of his former teammates and to a certain degree the man himself as he is now recognised as one of the top officials in Waterford and is continuing the steady rise throughout the League of Ireland ranks.
Two years at the refereeing school of excellence saw Walsh officiate at many academy games in the role of both referee and assistant referee before passing the school at the end of last season where he was one of the two local officials along with Ian O’Keeffe to win a contract with the FAI for the 2024 season.
After starting in the Women’s Premier League where he has done a top number of games including the recent FAI Senior Women’s Cup Quarter-Final between Treaty United and champions Athlone Town whilst also refereeing his first game in the Men’s First Division a couple of months back in Athlone.
His side-kick O’Keeffe has also been a member of the Elite panel for the last couple of seasons where he has refereed at Men’s First Division and Women’s Premier Division level, with the next step likely to be in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division by the end of this season.
The two are joined on the Elite panel by Claire Purcell, who is a FIFA referee and has only recently returned to the fold after suffering injury during last season, but is highly regarded as one of the top female officials in the country.
Friday’s clash between Cobh and Wexford was a big game for the latter as they continue in search of a place in the playoffs. They went ahead when former Waterford FC player Ethan Boyle broke the deadlock, but Tramore’s Jack Larkin levelled for the hosts early in the second-half with a well-taken goal.
A superb advantage from John Walsh nearly resulted in Wexford going in front in the first-half only for the Cobh keeper to make two brilliant saves to deny Aaron Dobbs on 24 minutes before Boyle’s breakthrough goal arrived seven minutes before the break.
Three minutes of added time were played in a first-half that Walsh got away without a card, but that was to change in the second-half as Charlie O’Brien became the first of five to see yellow on 55 minutes with Cobh manager – Tramore’s Gary Hunt also picking up one late on after he thought his side should have had a penalty.
On that penalty – it wasn’t one. Clearly the Cobh attacker was looking for it backing into the Wexford defender, but Walsh or his assistant Chris Campbell, who is a FIFA assistant referee from Dublin, were rightly unmoved. It was Dobbs 73rd minute goal that proved the difference as the four additional minutes in the second-half failed to produce an equalising goal.
The sound of the final whistle was a rare occurrence in the League of Ireland this season – players and management shaking hands with the match officials. A debrief with FAI observer Tony Ryan awaited after the game – that continued with a lengthy debrief through zoom on Sunday. All good in the eyes of Tony.
There’s no doubting that there is opportunities when it comes to refereeing if you’re a former player or just someone who thinks that they can give one of the most toughest jobs in football a go. John Walsh never thought that it was going to be for him, but look at him now.
