Sending off was harsh - McCabe

Editorial Department • Published 25 Feb 2010 09:45 0 Comments

Share this

Glentoran's Shane McCabe and Glenavon's Ryan Harper, whose parents are originally from Maguiresbridge, discuss their sending off as they make their way off the pitch during Saturday's league meeting.

Shane McCabe is hopeful that he will be able to appeal his sending off against Glenavon last Saturday as the season reaches its crucial period.

The Glentoran midfielder was shown a straight red card along with Glenavon's Ryan Harpur following an incident between the two players in the first half of Saturday's league encounter between the sides which the Belfast side won 3-1, but McCabe feels that it was a very harsh decision.

"The big games are coming thick and fast at this stage of the season and you don't want to be missing them. It is very frustrating to be watching games especially when you feel that there was nothing in the incident that led to the red cards being shown. I was chatting to Ryan Harpur after we were sent off and he thought that two yellow cards would have been enough as did the Glenavon manager Marty Quinn. Hopefully though we will be able to appeal the cards," said McCabe.

It has been a tough season for the former Dungannon Swifts man with injury and suspensions having disrupted his campaign.

"I had a lung infection recently and that kept me out for two or three games and to be honest I haven't really got going this season at all so I would love to get a good run of games at the end of the season," he added.

Having reached five bookings previously McCabe sat out his side's defeat to Portadown on Tuesday night and he admits that the title is now Linfield's to lose with the Blues a point ahead of Glentoran and Cliftonville and with two games in hand on both sides.

Tuesday night's results saw Cliftonville also suffer defeat while it was a good night for Linfield as they claimed top spot with victory over Crusaders. McCabe, though, is not about to give up the title just yet.

"There is no doubt that Linfield are now firmly in the driving seat being a point clear and with two games in hand but in saying that they have to win those two games and there are a lot of teams in the league who will take points of others. We have definitely been making things very hard for ourselves but we will not be giving it up until it is mathmatically impossible. You want to be in with a chance when you get down to the last five games as at that stage the top six all play each other so teams can drop points," he commented.

And although the Glens might not be firing on all cylinders, they are chasing glory on three fronts still with the final of the Co-Operative Insurance Cup to come against an in form Coleraine while there is also a Big Two meeting in the JJB Sports Irish Cup quarter-final to look forward to.

"Obviously the league is the main aim but you also want to do well in the cups and we are in the final of one and the last eight of another so we'll be aiming for success in those," he stated.

Tuesday night may have been a disappointment for McCabe and the Glens but it was a good one for his close friend, and Portadown player, Ryan McCluskey. McCluskey made his return from a knee injury on Saturday with a substitute appearance against Cliftonville while he continued his recovery with another appearance of the bench against Glentoran, both games which ended in victory for Portadown. After a poor start to the season the Ports have really found their feet in recent times and McCluskey is hoping that they can force their way into the top six as well as challenge for cup success.

"It was a worry when I got the injury because I don't get injured that often but I'm delighted to be back and I'm feeling good. We've had a few boys out with injuries and suspensions but the boys that have come in have done really well and it is good that the manager is sticking by them as it is the way it should be. I hate being on the bench but when somebody comes in and does a good job they deserve to keep their place and it shows that we have a good squad," said McCluskey.

He added: "I think that we are starting to show that we are a good side and hopefully we can push on into the top six and finish as high up the table as possible. It is a pity that we started the season so slowly as I really think that the way the league has gone we could have been up there challenging if we had made a good start. We have some big games coming up including away to Crusaders in the cup and if we could win that one then it would give us a chance in the cup."

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 25 Feb 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.