It has been a memorable week for Fermanagh refereeing with two local officials taking control of two major cup finals. Tim Marshall took the whistle for the showcase Irish Cup Final between Glentoran and Ballymena, while Louise Thompson became the first female referee to officiate at the Intermediate Cup Final where Dollingstown defeated Newington.

Tim’s performance received praise from pundits as he oversaw Glentoran’s cup win, and he admits he was delighted to have avoided the spotlight on the big occasion.

“Domestically, it is the top game I have ever refereed, and I feel it went very well, thank God,” he said. “It went well for the whole refereeing team on the evening. It’s nice to get some praise because it’s not often you get it. You want to get through a cup final where are you not really being recognised and talked about! There are extra nerves because there is a lot at stake for the teams and the refereeing. All week it builds up because it is a cup final and you are just wanting it to go so well.”

Having reached the peak of the domestic game, Tim is hoping to continue his progression during the upcoming season.

“I will continue to referee in the Premier League and hopefully I would like to get a couple more international games under my belt before the end of the year,” he revealed. “I would like to move up a level in Europe. That is the plan for this season.”

Reflecting on a momentous week for Fermanagh officials, Tim reckons the duo’s high profile appointments are a sign of the strength of local refereeing in the area.

“It is in a good healthy state at the moment,” he reckons.

“There is Louise and myself, there is Vicky Finlay, Andrew Nethery is an IFA assistant referee and David Anderson. There are guys coming through as well like Liam Shannon and Matty Gillan. Basil (Marshall) has worked hard at it and he has put a lot of time into the young referees and it is paying off now.”

Louise is the latest in a line of Fermanagh referees who have plied their trade at the top level within the province, and she has appreciated the support of the likes of Arnold Hunter and Timothy Marshall who have helped guide her through the early stages of her refereeing career.

“It is great to meet those guys that have been there and done it at FIFA level and Premiership level,” she said.

“Before Covid we would always have our meetings in the Bawnacre and we would be training together. They are really easy to speak to and it’s great to have them there.”

Like many referees Louise started her footballing career as a player and represented Fermanagh Mallards in the Premier League, finishing third in the top flight at the end of her most successful season. A knee injury derailed her playing career however, and provided her with an opportunity to progress down a different path.

“At the time I was off a refereeing course came up in the Bawnacre and it was free for female referees so I thought I would give it a go,” she explained.

“I had never thought about it before that, but I saw it advertised on Twitter and thought I would give it a go. That November I got my first youth game and it started from that. Once I got into my first few games I really enjoyed it. I thought with my injury problems I thought it would be safer than playing again and risking doing something more serious, so I stayed with it and a few years later I can’t believe how fast I have progressed.”

That progression ultimately led to her appointment for last Thursday’s final, and she was delighted to get through the game without any major controversial moments.

“It is definitely the biggest game I have done,” she acknowledged. “I was a bit apprehensive because it was the first game since the start of March and I had been off for almost four months but I feel it went well. There was good feedback from people who had watched it online and from a few of the coaches, and after the game both teams and managers, winners and losers, came up and shook my hand so I think from that perspective it went well. It’s a cup final and every call was tight and players are calling for it so you have be sound in your decision and confident in what you are doing. I had a good team with me with the other girls and I knew could rely on them as well.”

Having now got a cup final under her belt, Louise is hoping to continue her progression through the refereeing ranks this season.

“The women’s season has been delayed and hopefully it is kicking off on August 26, but I have been newly promoted to the Championship as well,” she revealed. “It is likely both seasons will be running together and I expect to have games in both leagues. We possibly might get European call ups from FIFA somewhere in there as well.”