Opinion: Big decision shows how tough referees’ job is

Coming into the Christmas break Ballymena sat on top of the Division 2A league table, although nearest rivals, Galwegians, had a game in hand, which they managed to win.

After Saturday’s game in Derry, which Ballymena lost by 8 points to 5, we have now slid down the table and are currently occupying fourth position, which is a great disappointment to the team, coaches and supporters.

Professionalism in the game has changed many things, but it is basic tenet that the referee is always right, even when he is wrong.

It is a notoriously difficult game to referee, and the fact that the professional game has introduced the Television Match Official (TMO) is a clear indication that the result of a game, or even of an entire league campaign, can hinge on a single refereeing decision.

That is the situation that the Ballymena team found itself on Saturday in the match against Derry, which, with minutes to go, seemed to be heading for a fairly dull draw.

But in the dying seconds full back Rory Drysdale put a beautifully placed grubber kick to within inches of the Derry goal line, forcing the defence to turn to retrieve a difficult situation. Those of us who were standing close to the action, both Derry and Ballymena supporters, were convinced that the defending winger fell on the ball and slid across his goal line with it, which would have meant a five metre scrum for the attacking side, Ballymena.

The referee, however, saw it differently and awarded a ‘22’ drop out to Derry, who elected to counter attack and set up a position which led to their winning try with seconds on the clock.

There are no complaints about this. As I have said, it is a difficult game to referee, and all we can do is to pay tribute to the unpaid volunteers who week after week, turn out to keep the club game alive and give players at all levels the opportunity to play.

More importantly, it is a vital component of the ethos of the game, that decisions like that, no matter how much we dislike them, have to be accepted without complaint.

But there can be no denying the sense of disappointment that was felt after the game, and that loss makes it just that bit more difficult to achieve the goal of promotion back into Division 1B.

But there are seven games left to play, with a total of 35 points still available, so the goal is still achievable.

Three of those games are at home, starting with a match against Cashel on the 25th January. They are in the top half of the table, so that will be difficult as well.

Bill Wallace (Ballymena RFC chairman)