Conor McMenamin has been pulled from Northern Ireland’s squad ahead of Saturday night’s Nations League clash with Kosovo. Check it out here.
Conor McMenamin : videos | Return | Stats | Contract
McMenamin is a professional footballer who plays for Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership and the Northern Ireland national side.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 August 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Downpatrick, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Glentoran | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
McMenamin began his career at Linfield, before moving to Glentoran in 2015. He spent one season at Glentoran before joining Warrenpoint Town.
In 2018, he joined Cliftonville. On 26 December 2019, he scored both goals in a 2–1 North Belfast Derby win over Crusaders at Seaview. In January 2021, McMenamin returned to Glentoran.
McMenamin made his international debut for Northern Ireland on 5 June 2022 against Cyprus in the UEFA Nations League.
Videos
Conor McMenamin has been cleared to play in Northern Ireland’s Nations League match against Greece on Tuesday as he will face no further action regarding a historical video in which he appeared to sing a pro-IRA slogan.
The 27-year-old Glentoran winger was withdrawn from Ian Baraclough’s squad shortly before Saturday’s 2-1 win over Kosovo after the video emerged.
However, given that the footage is believed to be almost a decade old and the former Cliftonville and Linfield player was punished by his club at the time, the Irish FA allowed him to travel to Athens on Sunday while an independent disciplinary committee considered whether he had breached IFA rules.
McMenamin has now been cleared and joined his team-mates in training on Monday evening ahead of the crunch fixture against Greece, in which Northern Ireland need to avoid defeat to be sure of not dropping into a relegation play-off.
McMenamin was withdrawn a day after striker Kyle Lafferty was sent home amid an investigation by his club Kilmarnock into a video appearing to show him using alleged sectarian language, but that was understood to have been recorded only last week.
Conor Mcmenamin return
Conor McMenamin is to be reinstated to the Northern Ireland squad and has travelled to Greece ahead of Tuesday’s Nations League fixture.
The 27-year-old was withdrawn ahead of Saturday’s match against Kosovo after a historic video surfaced appearing to show the Glentoran winger singing an alleged pro-IRA chant.
But McMenamin joined his team-mates on Sunday’s flight to Athens after the Irish FA gathered more information regarding the video, which is understood to be almost a decade old and for which the former Cliftonville and Linfield player was punished by his club at the time.
The issue is now being looked at by an independent disciplinary committee to determine if McMenamin has broken any Irish FA rules, but that is considered unlikely due to the age of the video.
McMenamin was withdrawn a day after striker Kyle Lafferty was sent home amid an investigation by his club Kilmarnock into a video appearing to show him using alleged sectarian language, but that was understood to have been recorded only last week.
His reinstatement for the Greece game will given McMenamin the opportunity to add to the three caps he earned in June after an outstanding season with Glentoran last term was rewarded with his first international call-up.
Conor McMenamin Stats
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.
| Senior career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2015 | Linfield | 4 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → Loughgall (loan) | ? | (?) |
| 2015–2016 | Glentoran | 17 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | Warrenpoint Town | 29 | (6) |
| 2018–2021 | Cliftonville | 60 | (18) |
| 2021– | Glentoran | 36 | (17) |
| National team | |||
| 2022– | Northern Ireland | 3 | (0) |
Both McMenamin and Lafferty were withdrawn from the squad ahead of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Kosovo amid separate social media controversies.
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.
Contract
The talented 25 year-old winger has been the subject of enquiries from Derry City, Larne and Glentoran among others since the January Transfer Window opened last week.
However, the Candy Stripes would have a hard time persuading the Belfast club to sell a player who Reds boss McLaughlin rates as ‘the best player in the Irish League’.
McMenamin has two-and-a-half years remaining on his current deal and former Derry City defender McLaughlin claims any potential suitor would have to pay a ‘top bracket’ fee to be in with a chance of signing the player.
McLaughlin has made it clear he’s prepared to negotiate an improved deal with the in-demand winger to end speculation about his future.
“There have been enquiries,” confirmed McLaughlin. “Conor McMenamin, in my opinion, is the best player in the Irish League.
“He’s definitely in the top bracket of Irish League players. So not just Derry City, but anybody interested in signing him has to pay the top bracket price as well.
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