“With 20 minutes remaining Conor McMenamin was taken out in front of the home dugout by a ridiculous challenge from Jeff Hughes. The ball was gone and McMenamin was gone. Referee Raymond Crangle determined that the punishment was a yellow card but surely such an attempt to injure an opponent should result in a red! It's not the first time this season that our Northern Ireland international has been on the end of such treatment and unless he's given better protection from the officials it won't be the last. Eventually there'll be a serious injury.”
The paragraph above was part of our match report two weeks ago when we had that great victory over Larne at the Bet McLean Oval. Earlier in the season Conor McMenamin was taken out by Crusaders defender, Josh Robinson; again, the ball wasn’t in the frame! Then again by Clarke (Linfield) at the National Stadium.
I hate to say it but it was only a matter of time. With 41 minutes of this game played a cowardly tackle from behind by Dean Jarvis resulted in a yellow card…. As did the tackles from Hughes and Robinson. Conor McMenamin has gone to hospital for a scan. Maybe it won’t be as bad as we fear. Maybe his season is over!
The point Glentoran eventually secured was enough to see us back on top of the Danske Bank Premiership. It wasn’t a great spectacle and there weren’t many clear-cut chances. Danny Purkis might have scored early on when Bobby burns played the ball into the Coleraine penalty area and Rory Donnelly chested it down for Purkis. His shot was straight at Gareth Deane in the home goal.
On 10 minutes, Conor McMenamin picked up a long pass and cut inside Jarvis in the area before forcing Deane into a decent save. Coleraine went close on 17 minutes when Matthew Shevlin got on the end of a cross from the right but his effort hit the post. In the follow up play Aaron Jarvis had a 20-yard effort well kept out by Aaron McCarey. 6 minutes from the break a sublime pass from Conor McMenamin set Rhys Marshall clear on the right. He got to the by-line but his cross was well cut out. Coleraine went straight down the other end and Josh Carson had an effort on goal but it was comfortable for McCarey. As we approached halftime, we had that violent tackle from Dean Jarvis. Conor McMenamin was stretchered off the field and was replaced by Ally Roy.
Half-time: Coleraine 0-0 Glentoran
There was little to report in terms of action in the second half with most of the talking points involving poor challenges and some bizarre decisions from the officials. A snap shot from Shay McCartan almost caught out Gareth Deane but the Coleraine stopper managed to turn the ball behind for a corner.
Lyndon Kane shot wide from 25 yards after he latched on to a sliced effort from Jamie Glackin. Matthew Shevlin then picked up just a yellow card after he caught Paddy McClean with a forearm right in front of the lineswoman. Ironically McClean also picked up a yellow for protesting about the decision.
Coleraine substitute, McLaughlin then got a yellow card for kicking Rory Donnelly after the Glentoran player had cleared the ball. Then as the game entered added time Paddy McClean was shown a second yellow card and the subsequent red following a foul in midfield.
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, Marshall, Kane (c), Wilson, McClean, Burns, Devlin (Murray 58), McCartan (Singleton 58), R. Donnelly, Purkis & McMenamin (Roy 45)
