The Glens booked their place in the third round of the IRN-BRU League Cup with an emphatic 7-0 win over Killymoon Rangers at the Oval.

Scott Young made four changes from last Saturday’s starting XI with Aaron Hogg replacing Elliott Morris in goal, Matthew Johnston & Johnny Taylor coming in for Jaimie McGovern & Colin Nixon, and David Howland back in midfield in place of the injured Ciaran Martyn.

The game was effectively over after 10 minutes as Glentoran cruised into a 3-nil lead. Jim O’Hanlon opened the scoring, firing home from an acute angle after good work down the left by Stephen Carson. Carson himself got the second (7), cutting in from the left and scoring at the near post after feigning a cross. O’Hanlon was involved in the third goal too. His right wing cross was met by Gary Hamilton. Hamilton nodded the ball skywards and as it dropped, volleyed home from close range. David Howland had the chance to make it 4-nil on 21 minutes but his strike from the edge of the area was well wide of the target.

On 37 minutes Killymoon Rangers almost pulled a goal back; Jonathan Young’s long range effort dipping just over the crossbar. Jim O’Hanlon almost scored a great goal 4 minutes from the interval. He picked the ball up on the right and cut inside Ryan Ferry before curling a shot from the corner of the penalty area just wide of the far post. Gareth McElhatton produced a two decent saves on 43 minutes. First he denied Richard Gibson, turning his effort away from a corner. Hamilton took the set piece and found Jason Hill at the near post but his flick was straight at the keeper. In first half stoppage time Howland tried his luck from 30 yards but McElhatton dealt with it comfortably.

Glentoran continued to dominate after the break. A 25 yard shot from Jason Hill (49) was saved by the Killymoon keeper and a minute later a great bit of skill from Hamilton set up Jimmy Callacher but his volley was just too high. Ten minutes into the second half the Glens finally netted their fourth. Gary Hamilton, who had just missed a chance moments earlier, was found by Richard Clarke. Hamilton let fly from 25 yards and McElhatton had no chance. Just past the hour mark skipper, Sean Ward (61) picked up the ball midway inside his own half. He carried it, virtually unchallenged, to the edge of the Killymoon Rangers area but was unlucky to see his shot come back off the post. With over an hour played the fitness level of the Glentoran side really began to tell and they created chance after chance. Gibson, Hill, Hamilton and Carson all went close with McElhatton pulling off a magnificent save to deny Gibson. The big striker finally got his goal on 75 minutes. His first shot was turned away for a corner by McElhatton but Hamilton’s excellent delivery was headed home by Gibson from just inside the 6-yard box. Substitute Darren Boyce added two further goals in the final minutes. The first was a spectacular volley (82) set up by Martin Murray’s superb pass. The same two players combined in stoppage time; Boyce netting from 10 yards.

Glentoran: Hogg, Johnston, Hill, Ward (capt), Taylor, Callacher, Howland, O’Hanlon, Carson, Gibson & Hamilton.
Subs: Clarke for Johnston & Murray for O’Hanlon (46) and Boyce for Callacher (74).

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