The man charged with handling Sunday's senior final will be without the help of his long-serving umpire when he blows the whistle for the decider this weekend.
Carlow’s Jonathan Murphy will take charge of the eagerly-anticipated Senior decider between Galway and Kerry at 4.15pm.
Representing the St Mullin’s club in Carlow, he will oversee his second TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final, having taken charge of the 2020 decider between Cork and Dublin.
Murphy has already been busy in the TG4 All-Ireland Championships this summer, having refereed the Senior group fixture between Cork and Laois, before taking charge of the all-Munster Senior quarter-final clash involving Cork and Waterford.
Murphy was also the man in the middle for the thrilling Intermediate semi-final between Leitrim and Wexford.
He was also referee for the 2016 All-Ireland Junior final between Longford and Antrim, before following up three years later with the Intermediate Meath-Tipperary showpiece.
Murphy can now look forward to another historic fixture on his CV, in the LGFA’s 50th year, but it will be an afternoon tinged with emotion, following the recent and sad passing of his long-serving umpire, Jim Treacy.
Commenting on the news of his appointment, Murphy said: “It’s a bit overwhelming at the moment and emotional. I’m absolutely thrilled and this one is extra special, in the 50th year of the LGFA. This will be the first Final that Jim won’t be with me for and he’ll be sadly missed.”
The Intermediate Final involving Leitrim and Tyrone (1.45pm ) will be refereed by Wexford’s Barry Redmond and the Junior Final referee for the clash between Fermanagh and Louth (11.45am ) will be Mayo’s Gerard Canny.
Intermediate Final referee Barry Redmond is looking forward to his second experience of the big day with the whistle.
From the Clonard Volunteers club in Wexford, Redmond was referee for the 2021 TG4 All-Ireland Junior Final between Antrim and Wicklow.
Earlier this year, Redmond took charge of the Lidl National League Division 3 Final, won by Clare against Roscommon.
In the Championship, he was also the man the middle for the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship group stage fixture between Cork and Galway, and the recent Kerry-Meath Senior quarter-final.
Redmond said: “You work hard for something and you get your reward. I’m also delighted for my team of umpires, who give up a lot of time to assist me.”
Gerard Canny, meanwhile, will follow in the footsteps of a famous former clubmate when he takes charge of the 2024 TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Final.
Fourth official for the 2023 Junior decider, Canny has now been entrusted with the main role for the Fermanagh-Louth clash 12 months on.
This will be Canny’s first time to referee a TG4 All-Ireland Final, and he noted: “I’m not the first Kilmaine man to referee an All-Ireland Final. PJ McGrath was referee for the famous 1982 men’s final when Offaly stopped Kerry doing the five-in-a-row.”
Canny refereed the recent All-Ireland U16 B Final between Armagh and Waterford and has also recent experience of TG4 All-Ireland Championship action.
In the group stages of the Intermediate series, Canny oversaw the Leitrim-Tyrone tie (both counties will renew acquaintances in the Final ) and he was referee for the Intermediate quarter-final clash between Clare and Tyrone.
