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Conor McMenamin returns to Northern Ireland squad after 'pro-IRA' video emerged

Ian Baraclough welcomed Conor McMenamin back into his Northern Ireland squad before revealing the video that led to Kyle Lafferty being sent home was believed to have been taken after a team-bonding dinner in Belfast last week.

Both McMenamin and Lafferty were withdrawn from the squad ahead of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Kosovo amid separate social media controversies.

A video emerged last Wednesday appearing to show Lafferty using an alleged sectarian slur and, after the 35-year-old was sent home amid an investigation launched by his club Kilmarnock, an historical video showing McMenamin appearing to sing a pro-IRA slogan was also shared.

That video is thought to have been captured when the Glentoran winger (27) was still a teenager, with the former Clifonville and Linfield player punished by his club at the time. In that context, on Monday he was cleared by an independent disciplinary panel to play in Tuesday’s match.

Lafferty remains out as he awaits the outcome of Kilmarnock’s investigation.

When asked if the incident involving Northern Ireland’s second-highest goal-scorer came after the squad went out for dinner on Tuesday night, Baraclough said: “I believe so.”

He added: “We all went out. We all went to the restaurant and we all came back. The players had a day off the next day. They are adults.

“They know they have got a responsibility and when they are on international duty they are still representing themselves, their clubs, their families and me. You can’t keep them cooped up in a hotel and you give them a certain amount of trust.

“You hope that is the right thing to do going forward as well. We are talking about a team bonding session and people being themselves and seeing them in their natural state and at times

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