Peter O'Leary

Peter O'Leary (born 3 March 1972^[1]) is a New Zealand Association football referee, previously of Wellington but now residing and working in Whangarei. He operates in the Australian A-League and the New Zealand Football Championship, and his other occupation is as a secondary school biology teacher.

Career

He first took up refereeing in 1994. He has officiated in many Oceania Football Confederation tournaments since becoming a FIFA referee in 2003,^[2] notably the OFC Nations Cup in 2004, and the Oceania Club Championship in 2006.

In 2007, he was selected to officiate at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada during June and July of that year.^[3] He took charge of the Group F game between Nigeria and Costa Rica at the Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, British Columbia, on 1 July.^[4] He was then assigned the Group B match between Uruguay and Jordan at the Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, on 4 July.^[5] At the English Premiership tie between Aston Villa and Sunderland F.C. as a guest of top English referee Steve Bennett, O’Leary was summoned from the stands to assume Bennett’s role on the touchline as 4th official for the second half of the match.^[6]

O'Leary officiated at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, as the referee for the fifth place playoff between Adelaide United and Al Ahly and at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, refereeing group games between Italy and Trinidad and Tobago and between Hungary and the United Arab Emirates, along with one game at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup in United Arab Emirates, refereeing TP Mazembe and Pohang Steelers FC.^[7]

O'Leary was included on the short list to officiate at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa along with fellow New Zealand referee Michael Hester,^[8] both of whom were confirmed in the final 30 officials to take charge at the finals.^[9] He teaches at Hamilton's Hillcrest High School.

References