The purpose of this DCU Research study was to compare the activity profile of elite Gaelic football referees (GFR) between the National Football League (NFL) and the All-Ireland Championship (AIC), and across the four divisions of the NFL and three phases of the AIC. Match activity data was collected during 125 NFL and 201 AIC games using 10-Hz global positioning system technology from 41 elite referees.

In the last two decades, Gaelic football has undergone a major transformation. Players are now bigger, stronger and faster than ever before. Their preparation is professional in nature, aided in part by advancements in technology like GPS that has allowed coaches to fine-tune their training methods and maximise player performance.

But what about the referee? The referee must keep up with play at all times to be in the best possible position for decision-making, independent of game tempo or period. This represents a considerable physical challenge, not to mention the fact that they are typically 15 to 20 years older than the players and have to cover a playing area far bigger than in most other field-based team sports.

Despite the fact that their preparation receives much less attention than that of the players, new research has found that elite Gaelic football referees are more than holding their own. This research has used GPS technology for the first time to track the speed and distance covered by elite inter-county Gaelic football referees during 201 games in the All-Ireland Championship over a four-year period. This research applied machine learning algorithms to specifically tailor the analysis to the referees, and examine how activity levels change throughout the game.

Referees cover an average distance of 9.6km during Championship games. About 11% of the 9.6 km involves running at high speed, which is classified as 17.5 km/h or above. The total distance covered by GAA referees is 33% higher than their professional counterparts in rugby league and rugby union and, is very similar to Premier League soccer referees.

Each minute of the game, referees cover 123 metres. Interestingly, this is 6% higher than the 116 metres covered by elite Gaelic football players each minute during National League and All-Ireland Championship games. The greater distance covered by the referee is likely due to the fact that referees are continuously moving throughout the game to keep up with the play. How players move during a game depends on their positional role and team tactics. In general, players tend to engage in shorter, more intense periods of movement and perform more high-speed running than referees.