Winter to referee FAI Cup Final
Credit:
Ritchie Winter has been confirmed as the referee for the FAI Ford Cup Final between Shelbourne and Sligo Rovers at Sunday, November 6, at Aviva Stadium.
The Wicklow official will work with assistants Mark Gavin (Kildare) and Dermot Broughton (Limerick) with Graham Kelly (Cork) as fourth official.
Winter said: “It’s a tremendous honour for any referee to be asked to do the FAI Ford Cup Final and I was delighted to be chosen to do the game.
“I have experienced it as fourth official for the Bohemians-Derry City final at the RDS 2008 so I know the size of the occasion and what it means to the clubs, the players and their supporters.
“It will also be my first game to officiate at the Aviva Stadium. I’ve done fourth official on games there before but it is an occasion I’m looking forward to.
“Myself and the refereeing team will be working closely ahead of the final to try and ensure we work well as a team on the day and get all of the important decisions right to the best of our ability.”
Winter, 41, is a health care service professional and played schoolboy football with St Joseph’s Boys, Sallynoggin, and Leinster Senior League football with Valeview Shankhill as a goalkeeper before taking up refereeing.
