The following, I am only writing as I am no longer refereeing. I would like to take this opportunity to ask the head referee inspector for the Cork region (lead observer) to resign from his position.

CORK BILLY SPORT: Blast from the Past. Walsh nets winner as Knockavilla pip Rathcoole in 2007 St Michael's Cup final. #knockavillaceltic @RathcooleRovers #localfootball #nostalgia #oldphotos @CorkAul corkaul.com/2026/06/blast-fr…

West Cork League’s summer soccer decision put on hold until EGM southernstar.ie/sport/west-c… via @SouthernStarIRL

U8 boys took home a cup in a 12 team tournament in Carrigaline over the weekend, D3 to D5 teams competed. Future is bright 💪🏆

The message remains the same. If you see a referee in North Riding wearing a yellow armband, this indicates that the referee is under 18. It means they're a child and still learning the game, so please ensure you support them.

Congratulations to Rockmount, who won the O'CONNELL CUP after their 2-1 defeat of St. Mary's on Sunday Morning Photos Rockmount Captain Ken Hoey receives the O'Connell Cup from MSL's Sean O'Sullivan and Leslie Doyle presents the"Man of the Match" award to Luke Hurley Rockmount.

Refereeing junior tournaments can be dull, but a little flair goes a long way! The focus remains sharp, but why not have some fun with the execution? Entertainment is key. #RefereeLife #SportsFun

Cathedral captain with the Division 2 trophy Jonathan O Sullivan with Dan o Flynn of the Cork Aul

Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States to officiate at the World Cup, will receive his full tournament fee. Sources told BBC Sport that even though Artan will take no part in the World Cup, Fifa has committed to paying his salary. Referees do not know the actual fee they will receive for officiating at the World Cup, which is paid after the tournament is over.

One of a number of changes to the law which take effect from 1st July 2026.

That referee kit looks very well. Also well done to the VAR for intervening on the simulation. No matter the level, it’s not always easy to spot.

Congratulations to our own Bob Donovan who this week received a Lord Mayor’s Civic Award in Cork City Hall from Lord Mayor Fergal Denney. In the company of sons, Evan & Reece and other family members including sisters Allison Mc Carthy & Sharon Cambridge it was a very proud and deserved moment for Bob. Well done Bob from all at Cobh Ramblers 🟣🔵

Well deserved bob

Blackstone captain Sean daly Referee Alan McDonagh Grattan captain Damien McSweeney

Waterloo captain Jack Homan Referee Paul O Sullivan Los Zarcos Captain High Linehan

The last of our cup finals takes place tomorrow The @Heineken_IE Murphy’s Stout @ONeills1918 Corinthians Cup final between Blackstone Rovers and @UnitedGrattan Kick in St Colmans Park is 2pm

The famous incident from the 2003 Carlsberg Cup, where Danish midfielder Morten Wieghorst intentionally missed a penalty against Iran. The referee had awarded the penalty because an Iranian defender caught the ball with his hands inside the box, mistakenly thinking he had heard the half-time whistle.Since the penalty was awarded due to a misunderstanding, Wieghorst consulted his coach and deliberately fired his shot wide as a display of sportsmanship, an act for which he later won an Olympic Committee Fair Play Award. Football is great

The ball is out of play when play has been stopped by the referee. Therefore, a goal cannot be awarded if the #referee whistles before the ball has wholly passed over the goal line. For this reason, when the ball is in (or near) the penalty area, the referee should be very careful when deciding whether to stop play or allow it to continue, as the attacking team may later have an opportunity to score a goal. Once the whistle is blown, play is stopped, so the referee cannot apply advantage, regardless of whether the whistle had any impact on the attacking/defending players.