19-07-2025
Meet the top referee taking charge of his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
Cawley has come to the fore this year having officiated at a number of important matches but on Sunday week will see him face his biggest test to date.
A member of the progressive Sarsfields club in Kildare, Cawley has earned a reputation as a diligent, capable whistler who allows play to flow but is quick to intercede when rough play ensues.
He took charge of the All-Ireland 2024 Senior Club Championship Final and has handled a raft of inter-county Allianz League and Championship fixtures since then.
Next Sunday's All-Ireland decider will be his 30th Championship game and will see him get another feather in his cap.
This year's provincial and All-Ireland Championships saw the busy Cawley take charge of several games involving Ulster teams.
These included the meeting of Derry and Donegal, the Ulster Final featuring Armagh against Donegal and the Louth v Monaghan, Dublin v Derry, and the All-Ireland Quarter–Final between Kerry and Armagh.
In the Allianz League, he refereed matches between Kerry and Donegal, Galway and Tyrone, as well as Down and Westmeath.
His umpires on Sunday next will be Dave Coady and Lee Moore (both from Ballykelly), Eoghan Fitzpatrick (Nurney) and Johnny Farrell (Rathangan).
His line umpires on the day will be Monaghan's Martin McNally and Meath's David Coldrick.
Cawley's appointment for the All-Ireland Football Final is another significant boost for refereeing in the country as a whole particularly as the whistlers have been strongly in the spotlight because of their administration of the new rules which have transformed Gaelic football as we know it to a certain extent.
