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Match Report

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Donegal Celtic created an Irish Cup upset at The Oval today, as Rory Hamill capitalised on two goalkeeping blunders to knock Glentoran out at the quarter final stage.

The visitors offered little in way of attacking flair, managing just one direct shot on target, but fortune was strongly on their side, and after Hamill put them ahead for the second time on 23 minutes, sheer determination and stout defending ensured they would progress to their first ever Irish Cup quarter final.

Glentoran threatened first when Michael Halliday crossed to David Scullion. Scullion evaded one challenge, but not the second as the ball was cleared to safety. From the very first minute it was clear that breaking down DC was going to be tough task, as they sought revenge after going down 5-1 at The Oval earlier this month.

Celtic looked like a team who came to defend, and hope to pick up the scraps in attack. And on 7 minutes, Hamill was in the right place at the right time to punish Dougherty's first error of the day.

As the Glens controlled the play, the ball was played back into the home defence in preparation for the next attack. Dougherty took possession from a back pass, and prepared to clear the ball. Inexplicably, Dougherty stalled with his clearance until Hamill had closed down the space that the 'keeper was given. When the clearance eventually came, it rocked off the surprised Hamill and into the Glentoran goal.

It was a set back for Alan McDonald's men, but they remained focused on the job at hand. They had started with high energy and a lot of movement, but this was being equaled by the visiting back line.

As the Glens increased the pressure, Celtic were beginning to give away unnecessary free-kicks, and on 12 minutes such a situation would prove vital. Gary Hamilton stepped up and curled a free-kick into the corner of the net from 25 yards, to level the scoring.

It looked as though Glentoran would run away with the game, as Celtic continued to work hard but showed no intent on pushing forward. When they did, Hamill would hold the ball up well to momentarily relieve the pressure, but it looked like just a matter of time before a second home goal would come.

Scullion and Colin Nixon were linking up well on the right wing, with Kyle Neill and Hamilton proving dangerous on the left. But chances were few, and Scullion was disappointed to see Harbinson save well as the winger headed goalward from a right-wing corner.

Pressure continued to mount, and Fordyce found space on the edge of the penalty box on 22 minutes. His shot was well held by the visiting goalkeeper, who then prepared to launch the ball forward.

His kick went long, and Dougherty somehow misjudged the flight of the ball, allowing it to bounce over his head, and Hamill was gifted the opportunity to touch home his second of the game, with what would prove to be Celtic's only shot on target in the course of the 90 minutes.

Moments later Celtic had a half chance from a corner, but Ciaran Donaghy's bicycle kick was too high.

The game became scrappy, as DC stuck to their game plan, and an obviously nervous Glentoran struggled to regain their composure after the shock of finding themselves behind again.

Kyle Neill looked to be the main threat before the break, with 2 dangerous free-kicks going close. The first was narrowly wide, while the second was taken by the goalkeeper who almost let the ball squirm under him.

As half-time came, McDonald had a big task to try and settle his team back into the playing pattern they had established in the first 23 minutes, and the second half started with a higher tempo.

Neill was again the danger man, as he struck the cross bar with yet another free-kick.

On the hour mark, it was Neill's delivery from a corner this time that caused havoc in DC's defence, as the goalkeeper failed to claim the ball. After a goal mouth scramble the ball was eventually hooked to safety by one of the many Celtic players in the goal mouth.

As the game moved into the closing period, Neill would again test the 'keeper, and substitute Darren Boyce would twice go close. Firstly, he latched onto a Gary Hamilton flick on from a Jamie McGovern throw-in, but his shot was touched past the post for a corner.

From the resulting corner Boyce attempted an over head kick, but it was just off target as the Glens continued to push for that elusive second goal.

Celtic were defending for their lives, and Hamill was doing his best to relieve the pressure on the rare occasions that the ball made it over the halfway line.

One final chance would come to the Glens in the closing minutes as Halliday headed a cross back across goal, but Hamilton was unable to get the vital touch to level the scores, and DC would hold on to claim their spot in the quarter finals.

Courtesy of
Russell Pritchard/
PRESSEYE