Watch Cork City v Derry City live on RTÉ Two and worldwide on RTÉ.ie from 7.30pm on Friday 21 March. Live updates on Friday Sportnight on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on MNS on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie (WW) from 8-9pm every Monday
What else would you be doing on a sunny St Patrick's Day only putting together a programme on Irish soccer? Sure and Begorrah.
It's only week two of RTÉ's new Monday Night Soccer show but so far it's been a blast. A big part of the philosophy of MNS is to give the game in this country some self respect and we'd like to think the show will reflect the 'Guaranteed Irish' quality of our domestic product.
Every goal from every game in the eircom Premier League, as well as post-match reaction, is the core element that makes up the programme, but I've had the pleasure of going behind the scenes for the first couple of episodes and really enjoying a peek 'behind the bush'.
Going on the road with Cobh Ramblers as they took on the longest journey in Irish soccer was fascinating, and a young and talented squad probably deserved something from their trip to Ballybofey.
I was pleased for them and their manager Stephen Henderson that they got a point from their first home game of the season against Galway United and the Ramblers may not be the certainties for relegation that everyone seems to think.
This week, after the controversial and indeed farcical opening to the new season at Richmond Park when a clash of colours saw the St Pat's versus Sligo Rovers game delayed by over half an hour, we decided to focus on the officials to guage how difficult it is for the third team at every match.
Referee Dave McKeon is no stranger to television these days. His proudest moment was taking charge of the 2007 FAI Cup Final between Cork City and Longford Town at the RDS.
He was the man in the middle for the opening televised league clash between the champions Drogheda and Shamrock Rovers at United Park and just a few days later he took charge of the Linfield versus Derry city clash in the Setanta Cup. Then last Friday he was the referee for the Bohemians versus St Patrick's Athletic game at Dalymount Park, again featuring live on RTÉ.
So no stranger to the glare of the cameras we followed the Dubliner around for the day to get a sense of what it must be like for a top referee in Ireland.
The access we were given was unprecedented and McKeon, along with his assistants Barry McDonnell and Martin Maloney and fourth official Derek Tomney, deserve great credit for their frankness and honesty. Little did we know that the game would erupt in controversy, a drama that very much centred on the third team of officials.
We began the day with McKeon at work, the IT Consultant liaising with clients in the financial sector. So you see, he's not a banker after all! While other people were dreaming of the long weekend ahead, McKeon had to plan for a trip across the Liffey for the Dalymount derby, Bohemians versus St Pat's.
There's something very atmospheric about Dalyer and the place has very strong echoes of a time when Irish soccer was hugely popular among the masses. A good crowd and a prime-time television slot on RTÉ, along with the fact that both sides had recorded wins in their first outings, added greatly to the sense of occasion.
It was fascinating to see the officials check the gear, especially socks and goalies' kits, so that no clash of colours would occur. At this stage of the evening you can almost touch the tension, smell the fear. The wintergreen wafts from the dressingrooms as the two clubs don their shinguards and tie ups.
The referees, too, need to prepare properly and the game has gotten so fast that it can, quite literally, be hard to keep up with the pace of the play.
The game began at a hell of a lick and there wasn't a free or a significant interruption for the first few minutes. Keith Fahey's wonder strike from thirty yards was almost matched by a Bohemians break and a Glen Crowe volley that brought the very best from Barry Ryan, the St Pat's netminder.
This was excellent stuff and the referees were coping very well. Occasionally Derek Tomney had to persuade Johnny McDonnell or Pat Fenlon to stay in their technical area but the game is about passion and that's why we love it.
As the game clock wound down the commitment grew and with that the yellow cards began to fly. Dessie Byrne of St Pat's got his first for what may have been a harsh decision, a full-blooded challenge, but his second was inexcusable as he kicked the ball away leaving McKeon with no choice but to send him off.
So Pat's down to ten men as the increasingly frustrated home side chase the equaliser. Then with seven minutes remaining all hell broke loose. McKeon applied the advantage rule as Pat's counter attacked and in rushing to keep up with the play couldn't possibly have seen what happened just outside Barry Ryan's penalty area.
Luckily for him his assistant did and after a dramatic consultation with Martin Maloney, two more players, Killian Brennan and Ryan, saw red.
So three sendings off and seven yellow cards in a game that wasn't especially nasty or violent, a referee feature just got more interesting!
Afterwards the managers were positively sanguine about the sendings off and the referee, unusually perhaps, didn't get criticised by the gaffers.
Their chat with the Referees' Assessor was behind closed doors but the four officials allowed us in to their shower room soon afterwards and the adrenaline was still flowing.
They spoke of the tension of the moment and the requirement to keep a cool head when all around are losing theirs. I think it's fair to say that on the night they got the big decision right.
It's not easy being a referee but without these fine men and women we wouldn't have a game. The next time you clear your throat and prepare to hurl abuse and rhetoric remember how much prep and sweat goes into their game.
And if you ever think of questioning a referee's parentage, remember they are a vital part of the family of football.
Tony O'Donoghue is Group Football Correspondent for RTÉ.
