GAA referee Maggie Farrelly would be more than happy to shake off the attention that comes with being the sole female inter-county referee in the men's game if it meant more women were getting involved at the top level.
The Cavan whistler continues to break the ceiling and last year became the first woman to referee a men’s National League game as Leitrim hosted London.
Farrelly remains ambitious, hoping to break into the championship panel before someday taking charge of an All-Ireland final. She also hopes that by that stage other women will have established themselves at the top of the officiating game.
"As we mark the SuperValu campaign of diversity and inclusion, I’m the only one [woman] at this level in this current moment in time.
"Who knows? In five or 10 years that possibly will be extended and you’ll see a lot more women actually refereeing.
"We also see the recruitment drive that happening within clubs and at county level. Counties want to get more referees involved, particularly younger referees.
"Our volunteers who are refereeing are at an age of 50, 60, maybe 70 years plus. With that comes a demand of actually referring a number of games, particularly on a Saturday or Sunday when you might have to referee maybe two or three games and that can be physically demanding.
"I think within the GAA there is strives made to recruit new volunteers in as referees and officials, but it’s very challenging, there’s no question about that."
Farrelly has said that sexist remarks have been few and far between as she ascended through the ranks, and that respect has been the prevailing experience.
"From my early experiences refereeing within Cavan, there weren’t too many remarks made to be honest.
"In my journey through provincial football at Ulster level there weren’t too many derogatory remarks made.
"I think there’s a respect there. I think there’s a genuine respect for someone who referees your game regardless of your gender.
"There’s always that risk, isn’t there? That you would be criticised more often or maybe more harshly than your male counterparts.
"By and large I don’t feel that I have had that level of abuse or disrespect."
Farrelly is a key official in the women's game too and last season she was handed her second All-Ireland final as Meath defeated Kerry.
That leaves her well placed to assess the ongoing integration process and she sees nothing but benefits given how well it has worked at her club Laragh United, who she still plays for.
"In my own club, we’re very much integrated at home in Laragh in Cavan.
"Camogie, ladies’ football and men’s football are all under the one umbrella for the last number of years and it has worked very, very well.
"The reason for that is because you are sharing resources, you’re sharing personnel and volunteers. Clubs, as we all know, are led by volunteers.
"In terms of that integration, particularly at club level, I think it works extremely well.
"At the end of the day we’re all pulling out of the same pot in terms of funding, if we’re doing any fundraising the money is split equally throughout the club.
"It’s not just the camogie club that’s off fundraising, it’s not just the men’s footballers off fundraising. I think that’s a key part of it because at the end of the day they are volunteers and you are always reaching back into the same community for fundraising."
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