Glentoran boss Mick McDermott reads riot act after "inexcusable" European play-off collapse

Glentoran boss Mick McDermott read the riot act after European qualification was tossed away on a dramatic night at the BetMcLean Oval.

The Big Two giants led 2-0 with 16 minutes of normal time remaining but ended up losing 4-2 to a Ronan Hale-inspired Larne after extra-time.

Supersub Hale helped himself to four goals, the fourth into an empty net from a couple of yards outside his own box as the Glens chased a late reprieve at the death.

Larne striker Ronan Hale scores wonder goal from edge of own penalty box

“We had it in the palm of our hand and threw it away,” said McDermott, whose frustration focused on two key moments as Larne hit back from 2-0 down to force extra time.

The visitors' first came when Hale fired home a rebound at a penalty after Glens defender Paddy McClean was red carded for pulling back Davy McDaid inside the area.

And the second came from another penalty after goalkeeper Aaron McCarey raced off his line to bundle over McDaid at a half cleared corner.

Both were rushes of blood and “inexcusable” according to McDermott who had been hoping to lead the Glens into Europe for a third successive year.

On McClean’s 74th minute red card, he said: “The long ball could have been dealt with. Go and attack it. But we let it bounce and then a pulled shirt. Madness.

“That hurt us, but the second penalty decision was worse than the first one because there are only seven minutes left and we should be on alert.

“It is completely inexcusable and unacceptable from two senior players to put our club in this situation. Yes, we all take collective responsibility and it’s the team that suffers.

"The fans suffer, we suffer. There’s nothing else I can say. It’s a chance to play European football and it’s been completely