Louth GAA have selected a priest to referee this year’s SFC final between Naomh Mairtin and St Mochta’s.
Fr Derek Ryan will be the man with all the power in the Joe Ward cup final on November 7, only two years on from refereeing his first game in the county.
He is part of the Sean O’Mahonys club in Dundalk and a member of the Redemptorist parish but is a native of Baconstown in Co. Meath and has taken charge of senior hurling championship games in both his home and adopted counties.
He replaced the injured Cormac Reilly for the closing stages of last Monday's Meath IFC semi-final between Trim and Walterstown.
Fr Derek spent a period time in the parish of Furancungu in Mozambique where he was overseeing the building of a church and a new school in 2017.
During his work there he arranged for a set of jerseys from his home club of Na Fianna to be donated to the local soccer team in the area.
After the news surfaced on social media, people rushed to send Fr Derek wishes of support and luck.
One user on twitter said: "Best of luck Derek, good referee and more importantly a gentleman."
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