On a wet and gray day in East Belfast, The Oval was lit up by an opening day Glentoran performance full of hunger, desire, skill and youthful exuberance, as the Glens youngsters, seasoned veterans and new boys looked particularly sharp in their first meaningful domestic work-out for the season.

The goal-scoring almost got an early start, when after just 3 minutes an ambitious lobbed effort from Scullion produced the first of many fine stops from Addis in the visiting goal, as his outstretched fingers just about pushed the ball for a corner.

Scullion was to be involved again 5 minutes later, when he and Carson combined well to create an opening for Hamilton, but his dipping right foot volley could only find the crossbar. 

As the Glens settled into a fluent pattern of play, and the visitors were already becoming stretched, disaster struck for Armagh when veteran defender Chris Walker was stretchered off before the quarter hour mark.

And within a couple of minutes the Glens were threatening again. Kyle Neill lifted a perfect cross into the danger zone, and Nixon will be disappointed that his header was easily taken by the goalkeeper.

Armagh were struggling to hold their shape, or even get a breath. Just moments later, a free-flowing move which involved Fordyce, Leeman, Fordyce again, Scullion and Hamilton eventually saw the ball come back to Scullion, only for his left foot effort to fly wide, when Halliday was well placed in the middle.

Kyle Neill was next to threaten the goal, when his 25 yard effort on the 25th minute almost broke the Sydenham End crossbar, only to cannon off the underside, onto the back of Stuart Addis' head, and past for a corner.

Glentoran's young midfield was looking composed and flamboyant, and after good work from Scullion, it was Fordyce who produced the next save from Addis, who was quick to react and snuff out the danger from Hamilton's follow up.

Just after the half hour mark, Hamilton was at the centre of two controversial decisions. On both occasions, he had broken free from the Armagh defenders and raced through on goal. But on each occasion he appeared to be dragged back from behind, only for the referee to wave play on. Both situations looked to be stone-wall penalties, and Hamilton was not best pleased.

But what better was to work off his frustrations than to open his goal scoring account for the season? As if to make a point after those decisions, on the 33rd minute Hamilton picked up a left wing cross. With his first touch he took the defender out of the game, and with his second, he riffled a left foot effort across goal, and in off the post.

It was exhibition football from Glentoran by this point, and the goal only served to heighten confidence.

The impressive BJ McMenamin had a stinging shot saved well on 40 minutes, and Fordyce attempted to chip the goalkeeper seconds later, but found the same result as Scullion did earlier as his effort just failed to find the goal.

Michael Halliday then went close with a diving header, before Addis did well to stop Hamilton in a one-on-one situation, and then to save David Scullion's effort after a cross from Neill.

But the Armagh resilience was not to last, as another excellent Glentoran move, involving Nixon and Halliday got the ball the the feet of Hamilton, who beat a defender and slotted the ball home for number 2.

In first half injury time, good work from Scullion found Hamilton again, and the strikers confidence was clear for all to see as he rounded off his first hat-trick of the season.

At the break, Armagh looked like they didn't know what had hit them. They had been pulled all over the park by the passing an movement of this new-look Glens team. And the second half didn't get much easier for them.

Just two minutes into the half, Scullion drifted to the left wing and cut in, playing an inch perfect right-footed cross onto the left foot volley of Colin Nixon, and the defender made no mistake to make it 4-0.

On the 53rd minute it was the turn of new boy Daryl Fordyce, who received a neat Hamilton through ball, out paced the Armagh defence, and rounded the goal keeper to slot home his first goal in the Glens shirt.

Just a minute later, Philip Carson looked like he would follow his midfield partner by getting on the scoresheet. He had already beaten two defenders in the box, before Addis denied the opportunity to score.

The next Glentoran wave followed swiftly after, and Michael Halliday will be disappointed that he strayed just offside before stroking Hamilton's cross into the net. He'll have to wait until another day to open his tally for the season.

At this point, the Glens began to take the foot off the pedal, and seemed content to just retain possession, and not push for further goals. Armagh, while never really threatening the Glens goal, did manage to muster a couple of long range efforts that allowed Michael Dougherty to dust off the gloves and make a couple of stops.

But when the Glens kicked into gear, they always looked dangerous. And on 65 minutes there was another nice move, this time involving Neill, Scullion, Fordyce and Hamilton. The ball eventually came back to Scullion, but he was denied again in his search for a debut goal.

And a minute later, Fordyce almost added his second, with a spectacular diving header to get on the end of Nixon's right wing cross.

But it wasn't until the last 5 minutes when the Glens really stepped up a gear again. Michael Ward stormed down the right wing, passing one defender before firing a dangerous cross into the box. Luckily for Armagh, it avoided the Glens forwards, and was turned behind for a corner.

Kyle Neill went close again moments later, but in the very last minute, Scullion was to get the debut goal he so wanted. In a move that was a fitting way to end this game Rory Hamill combined with Hamilton, Fordyce and Ward, before Hamilton delivered the ball for Scullion to finish the move.

Despite 20 minutes of more casual play in the second half, this was a very lively and encouraging performance from Glentoran. An excellent way to start the season.

Glentoran Mascots

Name: Lori McDevitt Age: 9 Favourite Players: Gary Hamilton Michael Halliday

Name: Lee McDevitt Age: 11 Favourite Players: Gary Hamilton Paul Leeman