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result of today's match was not going to have any
bearing on the standings of the qualifying group, as
Glentoran had already secured top spot, and Armagh
City were unable to catch second placed Lisburn
Distillery.
But with just one
week to go before these teams face off at The Oval
to open their League campaign, it was important that
Alan McDonald would leave Holm Park with a clear
idea as to how his side will line out in 7 days
time.
Five changes were
made from the team that defeated Larne last
Saturday, with Paul Leeman, Kyle Neill, David
Scullion, Jamie McGovern and Dean Fitzgerald making
way as McDonald made full use of the squad he has
amassed.
The game started
slowly, with neither side pushing two hard in the
blustery conditions. The first real action came on 7
minutes when Ryan Berry collected possession.
Berry found Jason
Hill on the left wing, and he cleverly turned inside
before playing a slide-rule pass to Michael
Halliday, who didn't think twice as he stroked the
ball past Addis in the home goal.
And it was a
further ten minutes before either side would get a
sight at goal again. This time it was Hamilton who
picked the ball up on the left and crossed
dangerously into the penalty box.
Hill and Colin
Nixon were arriving at the back post, but neither
player was able to get the decisive touch.
Glentoran were
settling into a pattern of play more becoming of the
style they have adopted this season, and Hamill's
quick thinking from a free kick sent Berry free down
the right wing.
Hill was supporting
centrally, and Berry's ball in found him. Hill
turned the ball onto his left foot, and fired a shot
goalward, which Addis did well to turn away for a
corner.
From the corner,
Michael Halliday stole in to volley against the
cross bar, with an effort that no goal keeper would
have gotten close to.
Halliday was
looking dangerous everytime the ball came near him,
and on the half hour he almost doubled the lead.
Hamilton lifted a
ball over the last defender, and Halliday timed his
run perfectly. He confidently attempted an early
volley at goal, and was unlucky to see the effort
fly past the post.
Glentoran had to
settle for a one goal lead at the break, but it only
took one minute of the second half to change that.
Philip Carson put
in a typically meaty challenge to win the ball in
midfield. He picked himself up to retain possession,
and find Hamilton, who then released Hamill down the
right.
Hamill took a
touch, and steadied himself before releasing a right
foot rocket into the top corner of the net.
Jason Hill went in
search of his second goal of the season, and was
twice unlucky not to get on the score sheet.
Firstly, he shot
wide from 20 yards while under pressure from the
City defence, and just a few minutes later he
collected the ball at the end of a good move, but
his left footed effort flew just over the crossbar.
With 30 minutes
left, Armagh had their best chance of the match
after a poor Dougherty clearance. The keeper was
left in limbo, and James Slater attempted to lob,
but was only able to rattle the Glens' crossbar.
Both sides now
looked happy to play out the final minutes, and the
Glens introduced Daryl Fordyce, Tim McCann and
Michael Ward into the match for a run out.
But there was one
final opportunity, when Fordyce produced one final
save from Addis, after Hamilton created an opening.
Both teams will now
look forward to next week's League opener at The
Oval.
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