Derry’s James McClean hit out at Spanish referee after 1-1 draw against Austria on Sunday
JAMES McCLEAN has lashed out at referee David Fernandez Borbalan after a frustrating draw with Austria yesterday.
Ireland recovered from an appalling first-half display — in which Martin Hinteregger gave the visitors the lead — to level through Jon Walters with five minutes left on the clock.
But Shane Duffy then had a goal disallowed for a push on Stefan Lainer, who could then have had a penalty awarded against him for clipping goal hero Walters.
And Creggna lad McClean was quick to point the finger of blame at the Spanish whistler, who booked Cyrus Christie and Robbie Brady but no Austrian players.
McClean said: “I know in this day and age the slightest wee thing you say about the referee, you get fined — but if you watched the game, they had a 12th man. That’s all I’ll say on that.”
Ireland boss Martin O’Neill was equally unhappy with Borbalan’s display, claiming ex-Everton striker Andy Gray would have had all his goals chalked off if he had been officiated in the same manner Duffy was.
O’Neill said: “I think the ref was very poor. I didn’t think we got a decision all day. He wasn’t the most contributing factor to us playing poorly in first half.
“I’ll put that down to ourselves, but I don’t think any decision seemed to go our way.
“James was hauled back three times trying to extricate himself out of the corner.
“Once he got clear, the ball ran free, they picked it up but he had been fouled three times.
“I thought he was waving play on to see how it goes. In rugby, he would have gone back.”
Next up for Ireland in the World Cup qualifiers is an away trip to Georgia on Saturday, September 2 ( kick-off 5 pm).
