Referee Helen O’Reilly To Make Sporting History Tonight

History will be made this evening (Friday) when Helen O’Reilly will become the first woman to ever referee a men’s Ulster Bank League rugby game. O’Reilly has previously refereed the Women’s World Cup, which was held in France last year, and has also refereed the last two Women’s Six Nations Championships. Back in December, she was became the first woman to ever be appointed to the IRFU’s national panel and will now referee games in Division 2A and 2B of the league. “Helen’s appointment is based solely on merit, but as the first female referee to make the panel she must be congratulated,” said Owen Doyle, director of referee development for the IRFU in December. “Her hard work, dedication and strong refereeing performances have propelled her into the top handful of female referees in the world and into the national panel here in Ireland.” O’Reilly, who is often referred to as one of the “top female referees in the world”, could eventually referee in the Guinness Pro12 and European Champions Cup. She will referee the Division 2B game tonight between Sunday’s Well and Kanturk at Musgrave Park at 7.30pm.