In hurling, the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, the deciding match of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship competition, is considered the highest honour for referees to be appointed to officiate.

The most recent final (2024) was refereed by Johnny Murphy. The 2021 final was refereed by Fergal Horgan, with James Owens on standby; Sean Stack as linesman; Liam Gordon on the sideline; and three umpires from Horgan's club Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams and one umpire from Cashel King Cormacs.

Selection Men who referee a final that ends in a draw cannot also referee the replay. This rule was highlighted in 2019 when David Gough — thought by consensus to have had a good game — was replaced by Conor Lane for the replay. Colm O'Rourke in the Sunday Independent column, "The GAA's view that the referee of a drawn game cannot take the replay defies common sense and logic. Why disqualify a referee when he has done a good job? If the referee is not up to it then certainly he should be left off, but when there is almost universal agreement that he is the best referee in the country then give him all the big games and replays too. The players want the best referees". The original title (as published) was "Nothing more dangerous than a wounded lion", with the subheading the same as here.

Referees are chosen by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for their impartiality and their assessed performance scores over that championship season. A clue to the identity of the final referee may be found among those chosen to referee the All-Ireland quarter-finals. In recent years, a referee who has overseen an All-Ireland semi-final is never chosen for the final. However, he has tended to have refereed a quarter-final.

When the decision is made, the identity of the referee chosen is revealed following the All-Ireland semi-finals and ahead of the final. A period of media attention may ensue, sometimes even before the announcement has been made. It can be a referee's lifetime goal to get this game.

Referees Pre-1923 YearRefereeReferee's clubRef(s)1887Pauric White Offaly 1889P. Tobin Dublin 1890John Sheehy Limerick 1891P. Tobin Dublin 1892Dan Fraher Waterford 1893J. J. Kenny Dublin 1894J. J. Kenny Dublin 1895J. J. Kenny Dublin 1896D. Wood Dublin 1897J. J. McCabe Dublin 1898J. J. McCabe Dublin 1899A. McKeogh Dublin 1900John McCarthy Kilkenny 1901John McCarthy Kilkenny 1902L. J. O'Toole Dublin 1903John McCarthy Kilkenny 1904M. F. Crowe 1905M. F. Crowe 1906T. Irwin Cork 1907M. F. Crowe 1908 (draw)T. Irwin Cork 1908 (replay)J. McCarthy 1909M. F. Crowe 1910M. F. Crowe 1911? 1912M. F. Crowe 1913M. F. Crowe 1914John Lalor 1915Willie Walsh Waterford1916Willie Walsh Waterford1917Willie Walsh Waterford 1918Willie Walsh Waterford 1919Willie Walsh Waterford 1920T. McGrath Clare 1921Willie Walsh Waterford 1922Pat Dunphy Laois

1923 to 1969: Introduction of the Liam MacCarthy Cup YearRefereeReferee's clubRef(s)1923Pat Kennefick Cork 1924Pádraig Ó Caoimh Cork 1925Pat McCullagh Wexford 1926Pat McCullagh Wexford 1927Dinny Lanigan Limerick 1928John Roberts Kilkenny 1929Seán Robbins Offaly 1930Stephen Jordan Galway 1931 (draw)Seán Robbins Offaly 1931 (replay)Seán Robbins Offaly 1931 (2nd replay)Willie Walsh Waterford 1932Seán Robbins Offaly 1933Stephen Jordan Galway 1934 (draw)Stephen Jordan Galway 1934 (replay)Stephen Jordan Galway 1935Tommy Daly Clare 1936Jim O'Regan Cork 1937Jim Flaherty Offaly 1938Ignatius Harney Galway 1939Jim Flaherty Offaly 1940John Joe Callanan Tipperary 1941Bill O'Donnell Tipperary 1942Mick Hennessy Clare 1943J. J. Stuart Dublin 1944Mick Hennessy Clare 1945Vin Baston Waterford 1946Jim Flaherty Offaly 1947Phil Purcell Tipperary 1948Con Murphy Cork 1949M. J. Flaherty Galway 1950Con Murphy Cork 1951Bill O'Donoghue Limerick 1952Bill O'Donoghue Limerick 1953Paddy Connell Offaly 1954Jack Mulcahy Kilkenny 1955Bob Stakelum Tipperary 1956T. O'Sullivan 1957Steve Gleeson 1958Matt Spain 1959 (draw)Gerry Fitzgerald 1959 (replay)Gerry Fitzgerald 1960John Dowling Offaly1961Gerry Fitzgerald 1962John Dowling Offaly 1963Jimmy Hatton Wicklow 1964Aubrey Higgins 1965Mick Hayes 1966Jimmy Hatton Wicklow 1967Mick Hayes 1968John Dowling Offaly 1969Seán O'Connor Limerick

1970 to 1996 YearRefereeReferee's clubRef(s)1970Jimmy Hatton Wicklow 1971Frank Murphy Cork 1972Mick Spain Offaly 1973Mick Slattery Clare 1974John Moloney Tipperary 1975Seán O'Connor Limerick 1976Paddy Johnston Kilkenny 1977Seán O'Grady 1978Jimmy Rankins 1979Ger Ryan 1980Noel O'Donoghue 1981Frank Murphy Cork 1982Noel O'Donoghue 1983Neilly Duggan 1984Paschal Long 1985Ger Ryan 1986J. F. Bailey Dublin 1987Terence Murray Limerick 1988Gerry Kirwan Offaly 1989Pat Delaney Laois 1990John Moore Waterford 1991Willie Horgan Cork 1992Dickie Murphy Wexford 1993Terence Murray Limerick 1994Willie Barrett Tipperary 1995Dickie Murphy Wexford 1996Pat Horan Offaly

1997 to present

YearRefereeReferee's clubStandby refereeOther linesmanSideline officialRef(s)1997Dickie Murphy Wexford 1998Dickie Murphy Wexford 1999Pat O'Connor Limerick 2000Willie Barrett Tipperary 2001Pat O'Connor Limerick 2002Aodán Mac Suibhne Dublin 2003Pat O'Connor Limerick 2004Aodán Mac Suibhne Dublin 2005Séamus Roche Tipperary 2006Barry KellySt Oliver Plunkett'sWestmeath 2007Diarmuid Kirwan Cork 2008Barry KellySt Oliver Plunkett'sWestmeath 2009Diarmuid Kirwan Cork 2010Michael Wadding Waterford 2011Brian Gavin Offaly 2012 (draw)Barry KellySt Oliver Plunkett'sWestmeath 2012 (replay)James McGrathTurinWestmeath 2013 (draw)Brian Gavin Offaly 2013 (replay)James McGrathTurinWestmeath 2014 (draw)Barry KellySt Oliver Plunkett'sWestmeath 2014 (replay)Brian Gavin Offaly 2015James Owens Wexford 2016Brian Gavin Offaly 2017Fergal Horgan Tipperary 2018James Owens Wexford 2019James Owens Wexford 2020Fergal Horgan Tipperary 2021Fergal Horgan Tipperary James OwensSeán Stack Liam Gordon 2022Colm Lyons CorkLiam GordonPaud O’DwyerMicheal Kennedy 2023John Keenan WicklowLiam GordonJames OwensShane Hynes 2024Johnny Murphy LimerickLiam GordonMichael KennedyChris Mooney ref>2025Liam Gordon GalwaySeán StackThomas WalshColm McDonald

By county Since 1997 Number of finalsYearsWestmeath62006, 2008, 2012 (draw), 2012 (replay), 2013 (replay), 2014 (draw)Wexford51997, 1998, 2015, 2018, 2019Tipperary52000, 2005, 2017, 2020, 2021Limerick41999, 2001, 2003, 2024Offaly42011, 2013 (draw), 2014 (replay), 2016Cork32007, 2009, 2022Dublin22002, 2004Waterford12010Wicklow12023

Referees with more than one final = referee still active at inter-county level RefereeNumber of finalsYearsM. F. Crowe71904, 1905, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1913Willie Walsh71915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1931 (2nd replay)J. McCarthy41900, 1901, 1903, 1908 (replay)Seán Robbins41929, 1931 (draw), 1931 (replay), 1932Stephen Jordan41930, 1933, 1934 (draw), 1934 (replay)Dickie Murphy41992, 1995, 1997, 1998Barry Kelly42006, 2008, 2012 (draw), 2014 (draw)Brian Gavin42011, 2013 (draw), 2014 (replay), 2016J. J. Kenny31893, 1894, 1895Jim Flaherty31937, 1939, 1946Gerry Fitzgerald31959 (draw), 1959 (replay), 1961John Dowling31960, 1962, 1968Jimmy Hatton31963, 1966, 1970Pat O'Connor31999, 2001, 200332015, 2018, 201932017, 2020, 2021J. J. McCabe21897, 1898P. Tobin21889, 1891Tom Irwin21906, 1908 (draw)Pat McCullagh21925, 1926Mick Hennessy21942, 1944Con Murphy21948, 1950Bill O'Donoghue21951, 1952Mick Hayes21965, 1967Seán O'Connor21969, 1975Noel O'Donoghue21980, 1982George Ryan21979, 1985Aodán Mac Suibhne22002, 2004Diarmuid Kirwan22007, 2009James McGrath22012 (replay), 2013 (replay) Pat Dunphy (1922) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1922 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final in the same year. John Dowling (1960) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1960 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final in the same year. Jimmy Hatton (1966) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1966 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final in the same year.

See also FA Cup Final referees, the closest the English have

References