Donegal League legend Con McLoughlin blows for full-time on referee career 

Donegal soccer icon Con McLaughlin never intended to wear a referee’s whistle that long. 

The legendary Finn Harps striker - the first Donegal player ever to score 100 goals in the League of Ireland - recently picked up a Lifetime Achievement award at the Donegal League’s annual awards night. 

And it was there that he revealed he was putting his cards away for the very last time, bringing the curtain down on close to a quarter of a century as a Donegal League match official. 

“I’ve loved my time in the Donegal League, ever since I first played in it at 14 years-of-age,” he said. “And one of the reasons I went into refereeing was to just stay involved in football in some capacity.

Now, the refereeing was only supposed to be for five years but here I am 23 years later.

“Playing the game probably did help when I decided to take up the whistle. It made a hell of a difference turning up at grounds and lads just knowing you and I suppose having that bit of respect. 

“When I blew the whistle I always tried to explain just why I was giving a certain decision. I tried my best to qualify why I blew my whistle and I felt that players, even though they mightn’t have agreed with you, they appreciated the feedback. 

“I think that’s why I got through 23 years with little to no issues. But you can’t go on forever. I’m not getting any younger or fitter! 

“In the last few years, I just found that it was a trudge to do the referees fitness test. We’ve made a real effort in the last few years to get younger lads in and that’s been quite successful. 

“We’ve got ten in and that’s a really encouraging number in the last two years. I was going to retire before this but I’m definitely going now!”

McLaughlin recently highlighted the issue of referee abuse at the Donegal League’s AGM and he admits it remains his biggest concern going forward.  

“It’s getting harder because over the last few years, the noise from players and spectators has got much worse. Everyone is shouting for every decision - even the clear-cut ones and it’s a tactic.

“It’s cynical and it just puts unnecessary pressure on officials. And it’s definitely something that has made recruitment that much harder. We had a meeting with managers last year, before the league started, in Ballyare, and we expressed our concerns in relation to this practice. 

“We asked for managers and players to make a conscious effort to give a little more respect. At the AGM this year I addressed the same clubs that it’s something we need to keep pushing”. 

McLaughlin also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Terry Layden and Dessie Kelly - two men that will forever be synonymous with the Donegal League and its success. 

“The Donegal League family lost two huge players this year. They have been so influential in Donegal soccer circles over the last 40 to 50 years. 

“Dessie was one of the best administrators in the country never mind the county. And he held every position in the Donegal League before moving up to Ulster and then the FAI. 

“Terry spent his life, almost full-time, working with the Donegal League. It was a credit to both men what they put into Donegal football. Personally and professionally, they’ll be impossible to replace”.