BBCNI issued three live on-air apologies for offensive singing during their broadcast of last night’s Linfield-Shelbourne Europa Conference League qualifier at Windsor Park – all in relation to sectarian chants from the away fans.

On a night to forget for the home team, Linfield fans – some renowned for singing notorious anti-Catholic songs – were stunned into silence by a dominant and stylish Shelbourne performance which saw them run out 2-0 winners on the night. 

A thumping 5-1 aggregate victory sees the Dublin club progress to the lucrative group stage of UEFA’s third-tier club competition.

But while disappointed home fans watched in silence or left early, the increasingly raucous Shelbourne fans on three occasions subjected Linfield manager to sectarian abuse – leading BBCNI commentator Thomas Kane to apologise to viewers for the “offensive language”.

To the tune of Daydream Believer by The Monkees, Shelbourne fans repeatedly sang: “Cheer up David Healy/Oh what can it mean/To a sad Orange b*****d/And a shite football team.”

BBCNI had come under pressure after it failed to act when sectarian chanting from Windsor Park home fans was heard on its TV coverage of the July Shelbourne game and an April clash against Glentoran. But it was a different story last night as chants from the Shels fans targeting the Linfield boss drew immediate responses. Football fans on both sides of the divide fed up with the continuing scourge of sectarian singing at football matches will be hoping last night's game signals a new proactive era at BBCNI.

In the wake of their club’s July fine, many Linfield fans had taken to social media to point out that Shelbourne fans had been guilty of sectarian chanting at that game – without any sanction from UEFA. They will be watching closely to see if European football’s governing body takes any action over the Shelbourne fans’ sectarian targeting of the Linfield manager last night – and their lighting of pyrotechnics. 

Linfield FC will be delighted that their efforts to avoid another fine bore fruit. Home fans took on board an impassioned pre-match plea from the club to refrain from the sectarian/racist chanting and pyrotechnics that saw the club hit with a €12,000 fine after their Champions League qualifier against Shelbourne. And a “robust” security operation was in place to ensure that any home fans singing offensive songs or lighting pyrotechnics were identified and ejected.  

After watching his side being outplayed on the pitch, and having been subjected to sectarian abuse for much of the game by the Dublin fans, Blues boss Healy was magnanimous on the final whistle.

"All credit to Joey [Shels manager O'Brien] and his team,” he said. “They fully deserved their victory and we wish them well."