Referees' society condemns LOI manager's comments on Mayo referee

The Irish Soccer Referees Society (ISRS) has strongly condemned Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley following his controversial comments on Mayo referee Damien MacGraith.

The remarks came after a tense 1-1 draw between Rovers and Derry City last Friday, with the ISRS accusing Bradley of "personalised vilification."

The match's defining moment occurred in injury time, when MacGraith awarded a contentious penalty to Derry City, ruling that Patrick McEleney had been tripped by Shamrock Rovers' Josh Honohan.

In his post-match interview, Bradley expressed his frustration with the decision, describing it as "disgraceful" and referring to MacGraith as "the worst in the league" and "so poor."

The ISRS President, Sean Slattery, responded swiftly to Bradley's remarks, issuing a statement on Monday night denouncing the manager's outburst.

"We, the Irish Soccer Referees Society, wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms the comments made by Stephen Bradley following the Derry City versus Shamrock Rovers game on Friday, September 20," Slattery stated.

"His personalised vilification of one of our most respected members, Damien MacGraith, in his post-match interview is unacceptable. Statements like 'He's the worst in the league' should not be tolerated. The Respect campaign in football must go beyond mere words."

Damien MacGraith, a Mayo native, is a seasoned official, having refereed the 2022 FAI Cup Final. He also served as an assistant referee at the prestigious 2015 UEFA Super Cup between Barcelona and Sevilla.