Council Chair hosts reception for four Fermanagh and Western League Referees

Recently the Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Thomas O’Reilly, hosted a reception for four Fermanagh and Western League Referees who have excelled in the sport to referee at European level for FIFA and UEFA – Louise Thompson, Adam Jeffrey, Tim Marshall and Andrew Nethery.

Speaking at the reception, Councillor O’Reilly said:

“As Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, I am delighted to welcome you all here to The Townhall, Enniskillen for this reception in honour of Louise Thompson, Adam Jeffrey, Tim Marshall and Andrew Nethery who are all Fermanagh and Western League Referees who have excelled to referee at European level.

I would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to Adam, Tim and Andrew who are here this evening. Unfortunately Louise is unable to be here, however, I am delighted to welcome her parents Alan and Vera Thompson.

Adam, you started refereeing in 2013 at the age of 19 and you quickly progressed to be appointed Assistant Referee in the Championship in the 2014-2015 season. In September 2016 you made your debut in the Premier League and in the 2017-2018 season you were promoted to the Premier League Panel. To date you have officiated in almost 200 games at this level.

In 2019 you attended the UEFA Centre of Refereeing Excellence Programme where you gained further knowledge and experience. In 2020 you were appointed Assistant Referee for the Bet McLean League Cup Final, followed by your selection as FIFA Assistant Referee in 2021. In 2021 you also refereed the Irish Cup Final and this year you were selected to be Assistant Referee for the Under 17 European Championship Finals in Hungary.

Tim, your refereeing career began in 2001 at the age of 13 and in 2007, at the age of 19, you refereed the Mulhern Cup. Your first Premiership game to referee was in 2011 and to date you have enjoyed 8 seasons as an International Referee, 12 years at the top of the game in the North of Ireland and you have been involved in 8 National Finals including two Irish Cup Finals. Your refereeing career has seen you officiate in matches in 29 different countries.

Andrew, it was in 2012 at the age of 16 that you started refereeing and very soon you were refereeing in the Championship and then on to the Premier League. Your talent was quickly noticed and you were soon selected to represent the IFA at International level as a FIFA Assistant Referee. You have refereed over 25 games in Europe across the Champions League, Europa League and Internationals including Ireland v Qatar in the Aviva. In 2021 you also refereed the Irish Cup Final.

Louise started refereeing in November 2017 starting in the Brendan Keogh Youth League before quickly progressing to the Men’s Fermanagh and Western League and Women’s Division 1. In 2018 Louise got the opportunity to go to the Iber Cup Youth International Tournament in Portugal with the Fermanagh and Western Development Group which she highlighted as a great experience and she was appointed to referee the Under 16 Girls 16 Final.

Also in 2018, Louise was selected to referee the Women’s Irish Cup Final between Glentoran and Linfield and has now refereed the final on three occasions. In 2020, she was nominated as a FIFA Referee, the first female in the North of Ireland, and in her first season she officiated as 4th official in the Men’s Premiership.

Louise is currently refereeing in the Men’s Championship and the Women’s Premier League and also internationally as a FIFA referee. Louise has also just recently refereed at the UEFA Under 19 tournament.

Each of you have certainly shown great talent, skill and commitment as you have all quickly progressed through the various levels of refereeing at a professional level.

To be a referee at this level, you need to be attentive, have good attention to detail, be a good communicator and have the ability to remain calm and be resilient as decisions may not always be popular. To achieve the success you have, I believe that you have all of these skills which is admirable.

The Council has a long term strategy for leisure and recreation, Active Together, which demonstrates our commitment to encourage opportunities for everyone to be active together for improved wellbeing.

Each of you are an inspiration to other young people who would like to be active and involved in sport, however, may not wish to play. You will also have inspired those who are currently refereeing that you can achieve great success through commitment to continue to train and develop.

On behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, and on my own behalf, I would like to congratulate each and everyone of you on your achievements and I am confident that you will continue to excel at the highest levels.”