Baffling decisions cost Glentoran, says Devine

Glentoran manager Declan Devine criticised some of the "baffling" refereeing decisions during his side's 4-1 loss against Larne at the Oval.

Gary Haveron's side took the lead through Paul O'Neill's penalty on seven minutes before Daniel Larmour levelled the game, with Glentoran's Ryan Cooney dismissed for a late challenge on Sean Graham before half-time.

The away side retook the lead just before the break and extended their advantage thanks to goals from O'Neill and Tomas Cosgrove in the second half.

"Some baffling decisions have ultimately cost us, but we are also architects of our own downfall with some of the goals we gave away," Devine told BBC Sport NI.

"We changed shape at half-time, came out for the second half and gave it a right good go for 15 minutes.

"We had good chances to bring it back to 2-2 and the two goals that we gave away in the second half are really disappointing as we were so in the game and the players still believed."

The result brings to an end the east Belfast side's four-game unbeaten run and extends the Inver Reds' undefeated sequence against the Glens to 13.

Devine also voiced his frustration on the penalty which was awarded when MJ Kamara was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box.

"Big decisions, huge decisions, match-changing decisions. Gave a penalty away after a couple of minutes and the ball doesn't touch his [Kamara's] hand," added Devine.

"Straight red [for Cooney], big call in the game. The disappointing factor, for me, is Larne have a player who has picked up a yellow card and it was a stonewall second yellow card just afterwards.

"Ten seconds after that we make exactly the same tackle and Daniel Larmour gets a yellow card. All we are looking for is consistency."

However, despite having strong opinions on the decisions made, the 52-year-old added that there was "no point" querying them.

"What is the point?" Devine replied when asked had he voiced his frustrations to the match officials.

"I tried to during the game, I am shown a yellow card and told if I open my mouth again, I will be inside.

"The arrogance, the ignorance and the disrespect they speak to you with sometimes, there is no point."