Dickie Murphy has refused to criticise Croke Park officials following his surprise omission from the panel of referees for this year's hurling championship.

The Wexford official, who has taken charge of four All-Ireland finals, said in the Irish Examiner: "I didn't make it and I'm disappointed; I won't pretend otherwise. But look, life goes on. I took my first senior championship match in Leinster in 1989 at 21 years ago, so, it's been a long time at this level.

"The end had to come sometime. It's a subjective thing - it's like me refereeing a match, I make a lot of calls, I expect people to accept them. Croke Park came up with the 10 lads, I'm not one of them, I just have to get on with it."

Murphy revealed that there was no explanation given for his omission.

"No, they just picked 10 in hurling, 18 in football, and in fairness to them (National Referees' Committee) they told us some time ago that this was what they were going to do.

"Those 10 are going to be doing all the championship matches, no-one else is involved, and in that sense it's probably a good way of doing it. I can see their point in creating a top tier. Okay, I'm not in the 10, but at least those who are, are going to get to referee a few more championship matches this year.

"Instead of them trying to keep everyone happy, maybe a fella getting only one match in the year, everyone will now get a few matches - the fella who does the All-Ireland final will probably do four or five big matches in the lead up to it.

"There are different grades now - they are the grade one referees, the next level is grade two, and I'm still on that, so we'll be getting to run the line, or be the stand-by ref, fourth official and that sort of thing.

"Whether you feel you should have been in the top 10 or not, it was up to others to decide, and I've always accepted those kind of decisions.

"I'm not one bit bitter about it, matches will go on with or without Dickie Murphy and I've never been under any illusions about that."

He continued: "For me, I was coming to the end anyway; I'm not saying I'm going to retire in the morning but this is probably my last year, that's the way it's looking anyway. I refereed my first Wexford senior county final in 1985, 25 years ago, Buffers Alley and the Harriers, a long time ago. I started young and I suppose I'm finishing young now too!

"But the 50-year (mandatory retirement) rule was going to come in next year anyway, so that would have been that - I'll be 49 later this year and would have gone then anyway." Tweet

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