Deering to take charge of FAI Junior Cup final

SOUTH Roscommon soccer official Eugene Deering, from Ballyforan, has been appointed to referee the FAI Junior Cup Final in Dublin at the end of the month.
 
“The appointment represents a major honour for the Roscommon & District Football League and the local branch of the Irish Soccer Referees’ Society,” said Eugene.
 
“It’s a tremendous boost for Connacht/Ulster football as I believe it’s also the first time the Junior Cup will be refereed by an official from West of the Shannon.”
 
“My Roscommon colleague, Shane O’Brien, had the honour of being an assistant referee at last year’s final and this latest appointment is a tremendous vote of confidence in the refereeing standards set by the referees in the local league,” said Eugene.
 
The final takes place in the Aviva Stadium on May 25 between St Michael’s of Tipperary and Ballynanty from Limerick and is the curtain-raiser for the senior international friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Turkey,
 
Eugene has been refereeing in Roscommon League since 2002.
 
“I’m very honoured to have been appointed to such a major game. These are the matches that all referees love to be involved in. They don’t come around too often as competition for such games is extremely competitive.”
 
Eugene refereed the quarter-final game in Dublin between Sheriff YC and St Geraldine’s of Limerick and believes the performance of the Roscommon officials that day helped secure his place in the middle for the key decider.
 
“The quarter-final game went extremely well and I would like to thank my fellow referees on the day, Tony Kelly and Conor Fitzgibbon, for their great work in a game that went all the way to extra-time and penalties. Refereeing is about teamwork and no referee ever walks on to a pitch without having the support of his fellow assistants.”
 
Eugene has previously refereed the FAI Youth Cup Final, the Connacht Junior Cup Final, and was an assistant referee in the League of Ireland ‘A’ final between Salthill Devon and Shamrock Rovers. Eugene was also an assistant referee for a Junior International friendly between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
 
“To referee in the Aviva stadium will be a fabulous experience. There was 6,000 at the final last year and to be part of the Cup final day will be a lasting memory for me. I would like to thank Gerry Tully, RDSL secretary and Referees’ Observer, Owen Brennan, for all their assistance but in particular I want to thank Tony Kelly, who, when he was previously Observer in Roscommon, helped bring my game to a higher level by securing appointments for me in the League of Ireland First Division, ‘A’ Championship and the League of Ireland U21 League.”