Laois referee Maurice Deegan will be the man in the middle for this Sunday’s All Ireland SFC semi-final between Tyrone and Kerry in Croke Park.
No stranger to big games, the Stradbally man has refereed three All Ireland finals – 2008, 2012 and the 2016 All Ireland final replay.
His first final in 2008 was between Tyrone and Kerry as Mickey Harte’s side won the Sam MaGuire for the third time in six seasons while he also oversaw Donegal’s triumph over Mayo in 2012 and Dublin’s replayed win over Mayo in 2016.
Already this year, Deegan has refereed Tyrone’s Super 8 game against Cork in Croke Park and the Round 3 All Ireland Qualifier between Mayo and Armagh.
Earlier this season he took charge of the Dublin-Kerry Allianz Football League Division 1 game.
Deegan’s appointment as a referee of an All Ireland semi-final, however, means he is probably less likely to be given the final. The GAA tend to use a different official for the final from the two semi-finals.
The Tyrone-Kerry game throws in at 3.30pm in Croke Park on Sunday and will be live on both RTE and Sky Sports. It will be preceded by the minor semi-final involving Kerry and Galway.
Dublin, chasing an historic five-in-a-row, will play Mayo in the other semi-final on Saturday at 5pm. The other minor semi-final between Mayo and Cork will be on before it.
All games this weekend will have extra time if necessary.