Glentoran manager Rodney McAree bemused by decision to not send off Glenavon defender

Lurgan Blues defender Conor Kerr was shown a yellow card by referee Ben McMaster for taking down Glens striker Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe in the second-half, who was attempting to run through on goal after a long-ball from Luke McCullough.

The challenge was met with chants of ‘off’ from the home support while McAree felt there should have been a harsher punishment.

"Massively, yeah,” he told GlensTV when asked if he felt Kerr deserved more than a yellow.

”I was told by the fourth official that he still had a lot to do but I think he is a yard the other side of the defender and all he has to do is get it under control.

"I don't think there's a covering defender whatsoever. I think Junior is clean through on goal, but listen, some you get and some you don't."

It was one of nine cards produced on the night – eight yellows, one red – with Jordan Stewart sent off for a push on Bobby Burns in the 74th minute.

McAree was left to rue his side’s lack of cutting edge with none of their six shots on target finding the net, largely thanks to an inspired performance from Glenavon goalkeeper Rory Brown.

"They got their point, which is massively frustrating from our point of view,” he added.

"I think we did enough in the first-half that we should have came in at half-time two or three nil up. We have to take our chances and unfortunately tonight we haven't.

"We came out in the second-half and tried not to lose our patience. They went down to 10 men, sit further behind the ball, try to hit us on the counter and almost did on the odd occasion.

"We had enough chances and half-chances in the second-half that we should have capitalised. We have to find a way, a bigger hunger and desire to go and win a game of football.

"It has to hurt the players. It certainly hurts us and it'll hurt the fans as well but we have to find a way and tonight we haven't."

Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn was subbed off inside 20 minutes at The Oval and McAree says he will be further assessed on Wednesday as they try to get the forward ready for Saturday’s Irish Cup quarter-final clash with Crusaders.

"His calf tightened a little so it was a case of getting him off,” he said. “He felt as if he continued on it would get worse so we will bring him in tomorrow (Wednesday), assess it and try to get it turned around as quickly as we can."