Cork's Conor Lane appointed to ref football final
August 31, 2016
Referee Conor Lane.
©INPHO/James Crombie.
The GAA has confirmed that Cork's Conor Lane will referee the All-Ireland SFC final between Dublin and Mayo on September 18, while Down's Ciaran Branagan will referee the Minor game between Kerry and Galway.
Lane, a member of the Banteer/Lyre club, previously refereed the All-Ireland Minor final in 2013 between Mayo and Tyrone, the Connacht Final in 2013 and 2016, as well as this year's All-Ireland Senior Club Final.
He's been busy in this year's Championship, refereeing the All-Ireland Quarter-Final between Galway and Tipperary, the drawn Connacht Final between Galway and Roscommon, the Connacht Semi-Final between Mayo and Galway, and the Ulster Semi-Final between Monaghan and Down.
"I'm delighted to get the call, absolutely over the moon," Lane remarked to gaa.ie shortly after being told of his appointment today.
"I'm shocked and delighted. Once you get a Quarter-Final your hat is in the ring and it could go with any of the four referees, it was just my year this year. I'm just delighted for myself and my family, the umpires and club to represent them.
"You've to keep your feet on the ground, to do the best you can, to be as anonymous as you can be on the day. It is the players' day out, you apply the rules, I don't want to be seen or heard after if I can at all possible."
Lane began refereeing in 2005 and is relatively young at 38 years of age, so his rise through the ranks of refereeing has been impressively swift.
His umpires on the day will be John Joe Lane, DJ O'Sullivan (both Banteer/Lyre), Ray Hegarty (Bride Rovers) and Pat Kelly (Kilshannig).
Laois's Maurice Deegan will be the standby referee. The other linesman is Joe McQuillan (Cavan) and the Sideline official will be Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).
Ciaran Branagan, who will be officiating the Minor final, is a member of the Clonduff club.
His umpires on the day will be Mark Doherty (Ballykinlar), Mickey Curran (Ardglass), Seamus O'Hanlon (Kilcoo) & Marty Brady (RGU Downpatrick).
Roscommon's Patrick Neilan will be the standby referee, the other linesman is Niall Cullen (Fermanagh) and the Sideline Official will be James Bermingham (Cork).
