Pat McEnaney
Encyclopedia
Pat McEnaney is a former inter-county Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
referee, from Corduff in County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
. He has officiated many high profile Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
matches, including four All-Ireland finals
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
and several International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
matches, including the first test of the 2006 series at Pearse Stadium
Pearse Stadium
Pearse Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium, in County Galway, Ireland. The stadium opened on June 16, 1957, as 16,000 people came to watch Galway beat Tipperary in hurling, and Kerry in football, and to watch Bishop Michael Browne bless the facility.The stadium was opened...
, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. McEnaney is rated by many as the best Gaelic football referee.
McEnaney first took up referring when he was 21 years old, after damaging his left knee while playing soccer for Carrick Rovers (from nearby Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which...
).
McEnaney refereed the 1996 All-Ireland final
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1996
-Leinster Senior Football Championship:-------------------------------------Connacht Senior Football Championship:---------------------Ulster Senior Football Championship:--------------------------------...
between Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
and Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
and even by his own admission "became famous for all the wrong reasons". However he bounced back and his efforts were rewarded when he given the task of refereeing the 2000 All-Ireland final
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 2000
-Munster Senior Football Championship:---------------------Ulster Senior Football Championship:-------------------------------------Round robin stage:------------------------...
between Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
and Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
. McEnaney retired at the conclusion of the 2010 championship.
As a player he has won a Monaghan Junior County Championship and an Intermediate Championship with them in 1998. McEnaney still plays at Junior B level for Corduff. He says his "first priority is probably playing club football and then refereeing Inter-County football".