Ex-Pompey and Wolves keeper under fire after lashing out at teammate

Ex-Pompey and Wolves keeper Aaron McCarey is under fire after lashing out at his own teammate during an Irish Premiership game.

Glentoran legend Paul Leeman says Aaron McCarey’s actions were a “moment of madness” after the keeper was sent off for hitting out at player Bobby Burns.

The 29-year-old raced towards Burns after Coleraine made it 2-2 and lashed out, with the defender falling to the floor.

BIG TALKING POINT 😲@Glentoran goalkeeper Aaron McCarey sees red for lashing out at team-mate Bobby Burns during their side’s 2-2 draw with Coleraine at the Oval.

Report & reaction 👉 https://t.co/DDQkyaJAGB#bbcfootball #BBCIrishPrem pic.twitter.com/mRIhCw86wP

— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) October 16, 2021

“I’ve never seen anything like it – it’s a moment of madness,” said Leeman.

However, Glentoran boss Mick McDermott downplayed the incident and said that Burns was not struck on the face.

McCarey then grabbed Burns by the shirt before being given marching orders – Glentoran captain Patrick McClean hit the keeper with the ball in a bid to end the incident which overshadowed the match at the Oval.

“I am more concerned about how we conceded the goal before the incident,” added McDermott.

“I’ve only seen a close angle on an iPad and I can’t zoom in on it. When I can’t get our analysis cameras there’s a zoomed out version I’ll have a look at it. Aaron has come into the dressing room and said he shouldn’t have done it, he has held his hand up and Bobby Burns the same.

“They’re both gutted with what happened, so look, we’ll deal with it. I spoke to Bobby and he said he didn’t strike him in the face. There was no contact with the face.

“Until I see the footage I can’t give you my opinion of it. Bobby confirmed in the dressing room, I actually brought him into my office, he said there was no contact with his face but when he fell back he hit his head on the grass and that was the reaction.

“Nobody falls out, they’re all grown men. It’s an incident that shouldn’t have happened and now we move on. There’s no news. Two players got in a row, it’s happened before, it’s not nice but it’s happened and we move on.

“We have rules and we protocols, procedures and disciplinary actions. If it’s proven it’s violent conduct we’ll have to consider the consequences. I think for me talking to our players… the disciplinary stuff we deal with all the time. I’m not going to blow it up into a major incident.”

Glentoran came from behind to lead 2-1 and the drama unfolded after Cathair Friel levelled for Coleraine with 10 minutes left in a game streamed on the BBC Sport website.

“It’s madness from the goalkeeper – yes, he maybe has a problem with Bobby Burns’ part in the build-up but you just can’t do that,” added Leeman, who was the match summariser.

“I saw it when it happened and I couldn’t believe it. The players weren’t happy when he did that.”

Aaron McCarey’s career:

2009 – Monaghan United – 21 games
2010–2016 – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 5 games
2011 → A.F.C. Telford United (loan) – 4 games
2012 → Walsall (loan) – 8 games
2013 → Walsall (loan) – 6 games
2013–2014 → York City (loan) – 5 games
2015 → Portsmouth (loan) – 6 games
2015 → Bury (loan) – 1 game
2016–2018 – Ross County – 18 games
2018 – Warrenpoint Town – 16 games
2019–2020 – Dundalk – 6 games
2021 – Cliftonville – 21 games
2021– Glentoran – 6 games

National team
2009 – Republic of Ireland U17 – 1 game
2010 – Republic of Ireland U18 – 1 game
2010–2011 – Republic of Ireland U19 – 14 games
2012–2013 – Republic of Ireland U21 – 10 games

Twitter users reacted with the ex-Pompey and Wolves keeper under fire after lashing out at his teammate…

The guy lost the ball at the half way line and then the opponent run 5 other players. Aaron clearly had a personal grudge against him, cuz that wasnt even close to being a costly mistake pic.twitter.com/1O5EQoPCzn

— Ayanakoji (@Ahead0fMyTime_) October 17, 2021

Took a blow to the neck tbf and definitely wasn’t expecting it from his teammate would hurt

— Graham.S (@graham_ska) October 16, 2021

pic.twitter.com/SKP8R2x6Eq

— Ethan Ross (@Ethan1Ross) October 16, 2021

@sc__morton: Imagine holding your face trying to get your teammate sent off. Not much in it, you see more scraps in a rugby pack at scrum training

@Aidmc901: You support two teams, that’s far worse.

@score_following: Picked on the smallest player in the team when the oppo ran through all of them. Actions of a bully. Christ knows what he’s like in his personal life.

@coleraineyid: Great spot from the linesman and fully deserved. No room in the game for that.

@DonalLaverty: That’s possibly the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen in my life. What planet is the keeper on?

@Drummy75: Why did the keeper single him out? Was a shocking pass he received then the boy skips past half of his teammates 🤷🏼‍♂️

@GaryPeebles4: Welcome to professional football. These things happen. Get up and get on with it.

@MrSeriousLEE: Commentator says he’s seen nothing like it in football and then immediately references the bowyer/dyer fight….. 🤦‍♂️

@DrexelJoseph3: If I were the manager, I’d terminate his contact. No excuse for that kind of behavior

@harryb1981: The writers of Ted Lasso have to come up with a new idea for the 1st episode of series 3 now

@jonpackham1972: Lucky his other team mate threw the ball at him before he could do anymore damage 🤦‍♂️

@AJ041987: Holding his face 🤦🏻‍♂️ Why try to get your own player sent off and then carry on rolling on the floor. Not good from the keeper but how has it come to this

@Kevin_R_Elder: Dude is so used to flopping he can’t even tell when he does it against his own team.

@CharIieGreg: Nice to see Aaron McCarey’s career is going well…

@AlexAFC_: Couldn’t be the same goalkeeper who failed a non-performance enhancing drugs test when he was at Wolves…

@dborrow88: If he plays for Glentoran again it’ll be an absolute disgrace. Pure bully boy tactics and clearly had a personal issue with him if he reacts that way.

@GoldieS1986: Why’s the keeper only went radge at his left back though, laddy got disposessed on the half way line, boys then beat about 5 players and scored. Clearly went for the sap. Defo true what they say, All goalies think they are hard.😂

@rossi_1411: Well he won’t back out of the 50/50 next time will he

SEE MORE: Missiles thrown at James McClean, signs torn down, Wigan fan’s car vandalised