Referees are empowered to act against provocative behaviour, according to the GAA's national referees development chairman.

Sean Walsh confirms that such antics are punishable by black cards but adds that they can be difficult to detect and / or prove:

"Our position is very clear. Where there is provocation found to have happened and the referee or his officials have seen it or heard it, they are asked to take the appropriate action and that action is covered in rule," he says in The Irish Independent.

"We have been stressing that all year and that is what we expect to happen. Obviously it's something that is difficult to prove but where a referee or his team of officials come across it, we expect them to take action.

"On numerous occasions we have stressed this that we do not want this happening, that we want it stamped out. Obviously, they take everything on board, it's something that's very difficult to prove in relation to what type of intimidation is taking place.

"If you aren't in a position to directly hear it or see it, you're not in a position to prove it. We do not expect things that are happening off the ball to be ignored and they are fully aware of that."

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