Michael Haverty

[midfield]

Can we please not have this ref in another Offaly game please. How in the name of God was the flick that Joe Bergin made when the ball was in flight mid way through the second half a free?? - Did he ever read the rulebook ? This was at a crucial stage when only a point between the teams. For John Mullanes first point, he let mullane away with an absolute blatant push on the back. What would he have done if he had to ref a game like the Cork galway match?

[jugs82]

Not to mention Oakleys 50/50 with Eoin McGrath, the free Kelly hot the cross bar with and the persisent fouling by McGrath on Bergin when he was already on a yellow + tick
Also near the end, they got a free for as fair a shoulder as ive ever seen.. Haverty was a disgrace yesterday

[Bord na Mona man]

Sadly he has done us over a few times before.
Ok, these have been matches where we ended up losing by a good bit, but Offaly always get roasted by him.

POTH wrote a good piece on Haverty's refereeing of Offaly matches last year.
Basically any time and Offaly player flicks at a loose sliotar, he whistles them. This is a fundamental aspect of Offaly's style of dispossessing an opponent and for moving the ball on.

The first couple of frees he gave Waterford were for Mickey Mouse technical stuff. I can't even figure out what for. Straight away, Offaly then had to cut their cloth and resist the temptation to play the loose ball. Bergin's flick was perfect hurling and he was blown for it. Another easy point for Waterford.

He missed/ignored a lot of the rough stuff under the dropping ball.
Tony Browne broke 2 or 3 hurls in the first half leathering Joe Brady.
McGrath and Prendergast were batting the hurls down on top of Dooley and Bergin when they were coming out to collect possession.
It was comical that McGrath was dishing out a load of jabs with the hurley butt at Bergin. As soon as Bergin pushed him off, the umpire raised his arm and the ref gave them both yellows.

It was awful pity that Offaly moved Joe Bergin outfield. If they could have gotten any sort of good supply in to him in the second half, McGrath was one foul away from a red. Offaly just didn't really get the quality ball into the full forward line yesterday.

[durra1]

It was disgusting stuff from Haverty.

Deise/Galway and Cork crowd around us all agreed.

What makes it all the more incredible is the man is a ‘playing’ ref who hurled a long club career in the Galway SHC. I’ve never in all my days seen a decision as was given against Joe Bergin for first timing that ball. Blowing up well timed challenges, giving Mullane 8 steps every time and the last one for a blatant dive.

There must be some accountability.

[athlumneyboy]

The standard of Refreeing in both games was brital flicking a ball on and its a free that Waterford scored, Ken McGrath was holding Joe Bergin the whole time and we got no frees. Paul Flynn should have got the line , Gr Oakley was booked for nothing Harverty has done this for years to Offaly he is bitter and twisted against Offaly he cant stand the sight of the green white and gold it is about time the County Board complained about him.

Barry Kelly did his reputation a lot of harm he was out to get Donal Og probably for the part he played in the strike, he didnt see the incident of Sean Og giving one of the Galway players the handle of the hurl in the face and he standing right in front of them, he missed numerous frees on both sides.

Supporter are paying big money to go to games and this is the standard of referees we have to put up with they are ruining our games.

[turk]

Haverty ( and Barry Kelly) is the type of ref that can be described as a "whistler". They are always whistling - they watch some action and rather than let it go on they whistle and impose their interpretation of what happened on the game.

Compare with the ref for the match against limerick, who only blew up if someone was actually fouled.

[faithful till I die]

I was at the game & to say the ref favoured Waterford would be putting it very mildly. This is not sour grapes at losing this is just a fact. Waterford players only had to run into an Offaly tackle to get a free. They should have had at least one player sent off & Mullane spent the whole game over-carrying & barging & yet somehow winning frees.

[naasmanxrhode]

Ref was a disgrace, he let Mullane have at least 8 steps everytime. Offaly played well , 2 stupid goals, great pride in jersey and well done, roll on Thursday night. 2/1 to beat the cats, thats a great bet?????

[Rynaghs Biffo]

Haverty is an absolute joke of a man, huge contrast between him and the ref from the Limerick game (name fails me here). He seemed reluctant to use his linesmen and umpires, arggghhhh!!!

[manfromdelmonte]

just shows the type of hurling played in galway

everytime Mullane fell over he got a free

[OY_94]

Barry Kelly did his reputation a lot of harm he was out to get Donal Og probably for the part he played in the strike, he didnt see the incident of Sean Og giving one of the Galway players the handle of the hurl in the face and he standing right in front of them, he missed numerous frees on both sides.

.

I dont think Barry kelly had nearly as bad a game as Haverty. In relation to Donal Og, i think its about time that referees started to stand up to some of these prima donnas that think they are above everyone else. The paul galvin incident should have showed Donal Og to shut up and get on with the game instead of abusing the official as he always does. Apparently he was also using his dodgy sliothars as well. And at the end of the day i think the practise of hacking a man down istead of trying to stop him scoring deserves a red card.

[athlumneyboy]

i agree to a certain extent but the thing with the sliotars is going on for years now. i think the sending off got Cork fired up but it wasnt hard to beat a one man team the Galway lads hadn't the heart to play for Loughnane.

[OY_94]

i agree to a certain extent but the thing with the sliotars is going on for years now. i think the sending off got Cork fired up but it wasnt hard to beat a one man team the Galway lads hadn't the heart to play for Loughnane.

Good point. It seems an awful waste that a team with resources that galway have couldnt muster a better performance in support of big Joe. Did you see him signing autographs and chatting to the young lads after the match. He is a fantastic hurler and a gentleman to boot!!

[athlumneyboy]

Joe Canning is already a legend signing autographs for all fans despite losing he gave a great interview aswell saying his best wasnt good enough the other forwards on the Galway team should be in hiding this morning.

[bula bula]

Haverty was a disgrace Saturday evening and I wonder where is the accountability for the poor performances that referees put in. He should be accountable for not letting the game flow and not receive any more games this year.

On a side-note, what was the story with the Cork players coming out onto the field with both teams still on the field? The problem with the delay to the game because of the ridiculous situation in the stand causing supporters to cross the field and the inexcusable mistake of getting David Kennys name wrong when announcing for the minutes silence? It really is sickening that these things keep happening.