Angry McCarthy sees red

Mexico 2 Republic of Ireland 2

The Football Association of Ireland is threatening to reject all future invitations to play in the US Cup unless tournament organisers promise to improve refereeing standards.

The Republic are incensed after having their manager Mick McCarthy, the defender Liam Daish and the striker Niall Quinn sent off as Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with Mexico at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey ended in chaos. The referee, Raul Dominguez from Miami, also showed yellow cards to Alan Moore, Alan McLoughlin and David Connolly. At the final whistle, Domingeuz went up into the stands to embrace a group of Mexican supporters and present them with the match ball.

The game erupted in the 57th minute with the Republic leading 2-1 thanks to Connolly's second goal in four internationals and an own goal by Julio Cesar Davino. Daish delayed taking a free-kick and was dismissed after Mexico's Jose Abundis reminded Dominguez that the Coventry defender had been booked already. Quinn ran from his seat on the bench and was also sent off after appearing to grab Abundis. Three minutes later, McCarthy became the third Irishman to see red when he threw the ball into the crowd to prevent the Mexicans taking a quick free-kick.

"I have never seen anything like what happened on the pitch," McCarthy said. "These two Mexicans were giving me dog's abuse when the ball landed in our dug-out area. They wanted to take a quick free-kick. I threw the ball over my shoulder into the crowd."

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Bonner (Celtic); Fleming (Middlesbrough), Breen (Birmingham), Daish (Coventry), Harte (Leeds), Kennedy (Liverpool), Savage (Millwall), McLoughlin (Portsmouth), Moore (Middlesbrough), O'Neill (Norwich), Connolly (Watford). Substitute: Phelan (Chelsea) for Kennedy, 72.

MEXICO: O Sanchez; Suarez, Davino, Lara, R Garcia (Blanco, 54), L Garcia, Villa, Del Olmo, Sol, Alfaro, Palencia (Abundis, 45).