Police investigating report of assault on ball boy

Carrick Rangers goalkeeper Jack McIntyre has apologised for the incident in Saturday's Irish Premiership game against Cliftonville in which a ball boy appeared to be pushed to the ground.

A Carrick Rangers statement said the club and the goalkeeper wished to "apologise for any distress caused".

"In acknowledging any distress caused, the Club has made a donation to the Northern Ireland Children's Hospice, and will also endeavour to make contact with the ball tender and their family," said the club's statement.

"Any internal disciplinary investigation will, in accordance with employment good practice, remain confidential between the employee and employer. Carrick Rangers FC will be making no further comment on this matter."

Earlier, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said "enquiries are ongoing" into the incident while the Irish Football Association added that it was "aware of the incident".

"Police received a report of an assault at a football match in the Cliftonville Street area of north Belfast on Saturday, March 22," said a PSNI statement.

The incident occurred in the first half of the game at Solitude as McIntyre went to retrieve the ball from a ball boy for a goal-kick in an attempt to restart play quickly.

The referee did not caution McIntyre after the incident, but Cliftonville fans voiced their displeasure by booing the goalkeeper for the remainder of the game.

The Irish FA statement added: "Should the matter be formally referred to the Disciplinary Committee, normal disciplinary protocols will be followed in line with established procedures".

After Saturday's game, Carrickmanager Stephen Baxter said he "didn't see" the incident and therefore had "nothing to say" about it.

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton also said that he had not witnessed the incident but added "if he has put hands on the ball boy and that is the rule then he was lucky not to be sent off".