Irish goalkeeper attacks teammate
There were crazy scenes in the Irish Premiership on Saturday night, with Glentoran goalkeeper Aaron McCarey sent off after attacking teammate Bobby Burns following a late equaliser.
Glentoran were leading 2-1 when Cathair Friel equalised for Coleraine in the 80th minute, with the game ultimately ending 2-2.
Immediately after Friel’s goal, McCarey can be seen storming towards Burns, striking him and then attempting to pull him up from the ground.
Surrounding teammates came to Burns’ aid, with the Irish goalkeeper handed his marching orders for the bizarre incident.
McCarey, 29, has previously played for Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Burns, 22, spent one season in the A-League with Newcastle Jets.
Glentoran coach Mick McDermott tried to downplay the bust-up following the game, and admitted McCarey was quick to apologise for his actions that have quickly gained worldwide attention.
“I am more concerned about how we conceded the goal before the incident,” McDermott said post-match.
“I’ve only seen a close angle on an iPad, and I can’t zoom in on it. When I can’t get our analysis cameras, there’s a zoomed-out version, I’ll have a look at it. Aaron has come into the dressing room and said he shouldn’t have done it; he has held his hand up, and Bobby Burns the same.
“They’re both gutted with what happened, so look, we’ll deal with it. I spoke to Bobby, and he said he didn’t strike him in the face. There was no contact with the face.
“Until I see the footage, I can’t give you my opinion of it. Bobby confirmed in the dressing room, I actually brought him into my office, he said there was no contact with his face, but when he fell back, he hit his head on the grass, and that was the reaction.
“Nobody falls out, they’re all grown men. It’s an incident that shouldn’t have happened, and now we move on. There’s no news. Two players got in a row, it’s happened before. It’s not nice, but it’s happened, and we move on.
“We have rules and we have protocols, procedures and disciplinary actions. If it’s proven it’s violent conduct, we’ll have to consider the consequences. I think for me talking to our players... the disciplinary stuff we deal with all the time. I’m not going to blow it up into a major incident.”