NIFL ‘totally condemns’ Larne-Glentoran brawl

Following full-time, when Larne needed to earn the point needed to advance to Europe, players and officials from both clubs began to play unpleasant scenes across the pitch.

Referee Jamie Robinson sent off Larne’s Aaron Donnelly and Conor McKendry, as well as Glentoran’s Fuad Sule and Christie Pattison.

A NIFL spokesman said on Sunday that “we are aware of and utterly condemn the incidents following the Larne vs. Glentoran game on Saturday evening.

We will be looking forward to their respective official reports, and NIFL staff has spoken with the match observer and the referee to offer support.

We will work with the IFA Disciplinary Committee to ensure that they have all the necessary background on this matter.

Glentoran boss Declan Devine said he “didn’t see much” of the melee after the game.

On and off the field, my players defended one another. He told BBC Sport NI, “I would be more irritated if my players slammed down and punched.”

I want to fight and be committed, maybe not to the level after the game, but it takes two to tango.

“Some players in our changing room are irate over how some Larne teammates engage in fights,” said one player.

The scenes were “really unsavoury,” according to Larne manager Gary Haveron.

Haveron remarked, “I don’t want to see it at games.”

“We take pride in being a family club, there are many kids in the stands, and that is not how you end a game of football,” Glentoran said. “But when someone attacks one of your team-mates, it’s only natural that you will react to it and that Glentoran will react to that.”

After reviewing the video, Haveron continued, “You have to tell the boys to step back because it keeps getting longer, but there was an antagonist.”