Ref wants to throw the book at McIlroy

Sammy McIlroy faces a three-match touchline ban for his part in a double sending-off that left his Northern Ireland side without any managerial guidance for the final stages of their Group Three win over Malta.

McIlroy was banished from the dug-out of the Ta'Qali Stadium for throwing the ball at Malta player Michael Mifsud in the 54th minute. His assistant Jim Harvey followed him down the tunnel for dissent 18 minutes later, leading to frantic efforts to maintain communication with the players.

The Northern Ireland manager eventually found a mobile phone in the directors' box and did his best to relay his thoughts to the bench to make sure his team survived a late Malta onslaught.

Referee Manfred Schuttengruber said he would call for drastic measures when he submits his account of the match to FIFA.

The Austrian official said: 'The Northern Ireland coach deliberately threw the ball at a Malta player lying on the floor and hit him on the chest. He had to go.

'The assistant coach seemed to think I could not possibly send him off as well, but he was wrong.' McIlroy was incensed by a theatrical tumble by Mifsud and reacted by scooping up the ball as it ran out of play and hurling it at the player. He was in the directors' box to see David Healy claim his eighth goal in 15 games with a 57th-minute penalty and later played down the incident which had put him there. McIlroy said: 'There was no brawl and I had a laugh and handshake with the lad afterwards. I apologised to him.'