Ryan Cooney has hailed Glentoran’s fighting spirit as they prepare to face Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue on Saturday afternoon (Kick-off 3pm).

For the second time in three games the Glens battled back to secure all three points against Portadown on Tuesday evening and keep their impressive recent run of form in the Sports Direct Premiership going.

The 2-1 victory over the Ports made three wins on the bounce for Declan Devine’s men following the Boxing Day triumph over Linfield at the Clearer Twist National Stadium and the impressive fight back against Coleraine before Christmas at The BetMcLean Oval.

Nine points out of nine has solidified Glentoran’s grip on third place in the table, but Cooney knows they will have to show more of that character when they travel to Carrick this afternoon.

Ryan Cooney said: “I think our recent results and performances have shown what our squad is all about. After a disappointing run of results we have bounced back with three big wins against some top teams.

 “Against Coleraine and Portadown we showed we have the character to keep going and get the points even after falling behind. That’s an important trait for any team to have, especially if you want to be successful.

“There are very few games you will dominate from start to finish, especially in the Irish League, so it’s important that you don’t let setback affect you and you keep fighting to get something from the game.”

Glentoran face a Carrick Rangers side sitting in 11th place in the table, but Cooney knows they cannot afford to underestimate their opponents as they have plenty of quality and experience throughout their squad.

Cooney added: “I know it’s a cliche but there are no easy games especially in this league. I think Carrick have been a bit unfortunate with their recent results and probably deserve to be sitting on more points.

“They showed just how dangerous they are against Larne on Boxing Day. By all accounts they had the better of the game and were very unfortunate to come away with nothing to show for their efforts.

“We are all to aware that they have plenty of experienced players who can hurt you if you give them a chance and they have a manager who has been there and done it in this league. We have approach this game with the same intensity and work rate as we have shown in the last few games if we are to keep our run going.”

After falling behind to an Eamon Fyfe strike on 27 minutes, Glentoran levelled matters through MJ Kamson-Kamara just before half-time on Tuesday evening.

Ace marksman Pat Hoban kept his cool from the spot to put the hosts in front before the hour mark before they shut out their opponents to secure another valuable three points.

Full-back Cooney was delighted to see the Glens show their defensive qualities after getting in front and he also praised fellow defender Kamson-Kamara for popping up with the vital equaliser before the break.

Ryan said: “MJ has been superb since coming in, he’s such a strong player and a real leader. He made a superb block in the first half, which really epitomises what he’s all about.

 “I was delighted to see him grab the goal, not only because it brought us back into the game at a crucial time, but also because he deserved it and he had a couple of chance earlier in the game against Portadown.

“It’s important as a team that we all chip in with goals and it’s not just left to the forward players. We created some good chances on Tuesday night so I’m glad we managed to take a couple of them to get the win.

“I know the winner came from the penalty spot, but we created the pressure which forced them into the mistake, which is vitally important. And when you have someone like Pat who is so clinical from the spot it is such a bonus. He is ice cold in those situations and he stuck it away with no problem at all.”

As we prepare for the first game of 2026 Cooney is hoping Glentoran can kick on and continue to put pressure on the teams above them in the table.

The former Crewe Alexandra defender knows there is a big four months coming up with plenty to play for.

Cooney concluded: “We’re just over halfway through the season and it’s all to play for really. Obviously, like every team, you would like to have more points, but we have 18 league games left to play and that’s a lot of points up for grabs.

“Nothing is decided now, the most important thing is we focus on keeping this run going for as long as possible. Every team will drop points over the next few months and it’s important that we put ourselves in a position that we can take advantage if and when that happens.

“The mood in the camp is very good and we are determined to make the most of every game we play in. The Irish Cup gets underway in the next couple of weeks as well and we want to push on as far as we can in that competition too.

 “Our fans have been brilliant all season and have really stepped up when we needed them. We want to give them something to cheer about over the next few months. There’s a real determination in the squad to kick on and end the season in a positive note.”

 For Glentoran fans planning to attend Saturday’s Sports Direct Premiership fixture against Carrick Rangers, match tickets are available to purchase at: https://www.carrickrangers.co.uk/tickets.aspx