Irish FA issue explanation after Irish League star shown yellow card twice - but not sent off
The Irish FA have issued an explanation after Cliftonville star Joe Gormley was twice shown a yellow card during Saturday’s Premiership victory over Ballymena United – but not sent off.
In a clip viewed by the News Letter, Gormley was involved in an incident on the stroke of half-time at Solitude which resulted in a Ballymena player hitting the floor and a brief melee ensued with the Reds striker booked.
However, after the situation was deemed under control, Sky Blues defender Stephen O’Donnell and Gormley were called over by the referee and both players were then shown a yellow card – despite the latter already being brandished with a card roughly 50 seconds earlier.
That incident marked a first of two yellows awarded to O’Donnell with the second coming through a case of mistaken identity when the former Coleraine centre-back was adjudged to have handled the ball on the line – team-mate Ben Kennedy was the real culprit.
Jim Ervin’s side were reduced to 10-men and while Gormley missed the resulting penalty and Ballymena thought they’d salvaged a draw when Aaron Jarvis struck late, Jack Keaney’s last-gasp free-kick sealed three points for Cliftonville.
The fact Gormley was shown a yellow card twice and not given his marching orders has caused confusion, and when asked about the incident by the News Letter, a response from within the IFA’s refereeing department read: “Louise (Thompson, referee) initially showed a yellow card to Joe Gormley in an attempt to defuse the situation.
“The melee continued, so in order to calm things down she then issued a yellow to Stephen O’Donnell and once again waved a yellow card at Joe Gormley to emphasise that he had already been shown a yellow.”
In the early stages of this season, Irish League officials have been under the spotlight with controversy caused when Linfield were awarded a second goal against Portadown at Windsor Park despite the ball not appearing to cross the line.
Glenavon also made their frustration clear following Francely Lomboto’s red card during their defeat to Coleraine – both appeals over the sending off were rejected with the striker now serving a ban.