Derry GAA is set for a referee shortage unless they can unearth some new match officials in the county.

Over the course of the next three years, Derry are set to lose 45% of the referees that they have due to retirement and with very few new referees coming through, there is a cause for concern in the county.

There are currently 68 match officials registered in Derry and that number could dwindle to 38 over the next three years if they are not replaced.

Referees' coordinator Sean Curran has pleaded with clubs to provide people as new referees as he admitted to the County Derry Post that there was a problem.

"The core number of referees we have within our county has now reached a crisis point where in the next three years we will be losing up to 45% of our current referees due to retirements," said Curran.

"It takes approximately three years of careful training to bring new referees through to begin refereeing at senior level. It is now in the club's best interest to recruit young committed men to take up this important role within our games structure." Tweet

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