In yesterday's Countdown to Saturday's Irish Cup Final we looked at the Linfield victories of 1983 and 1985 but little did we know that 1985's victory would spark Glentoran's most successful run in the history of the competition.
The first round draw for the 1986 competition paired the Glens with Distillery; the game played at the Oval on 1st February. Gerry Mullan missed a penalty in this match but it didn’t make any difference. A goal from Ron Manley and another two from youngster, Paul Millar saw the Glens over the first hurdle. Ballyclare Comrades proved a sterner test in Round 2 though and it took a late equaliser, again from Millar, to see Glentoran earn a replay. Back at the Oval it was a different story. Just 5 minutes in and ‘Windy’ hit the target again. Further goals from Ron Manley and Raymond Morrison saw the Glens through, 3-1.
Glentoran were drawn at home in the quarter-final with Cliftonville providing the opposition. Paul Millar kept his remarkable scoring record going, netting the only goal of this game and as a result, picked up the “Personality of the Round” award, presented by the sponsors, Bass. In the last four for the ’86 Bass Irish Cup Glentoran ran out comfortable winners by a score line of 3-nil over Brantwood. Gerry Mullan got two of our goals. The other, unsurprisingly, was scored by Paul Millar.
Coleraine were favourites to lift the Bass Irish Cup on Saturday 3rd May 1986. In a poll of the other top-flight managers, TEN of the twelve went for a ‘Bannsiders’ victory! Glentoran’s ‘Player of the Year’ Gerry Mullan, who had scored the first goal of the final a year earlier, repeated the feat to give us a half-time lead. With 45 minutes remaining, the Glens had one hand on the trophy. A minute into the second half though, we were pegged back. Referee, Alan Snoddy penalised Glentoran centre-back, Terry Moore for a hand ball offence and Felix Healey dispatched the resultant penalty to level it at 1-all.
The Irish Cup was up for grabs but who was going to be the hero? On 78 minutes, manager Billy Johnston replaced the star of the 1983 final, Johnny Jameson, with Paul Millar. Millar, who had scored in every round of the competition, hit the back of the net one more time. His left wing shot (honestly it wasn’t a cross – he told me himself!!!) evading Jim Platt in injury time to retain the trophy for Glentoran. The Irish Cup was won for the twelfth time.
Footnote: All of Glentoran’s goal scorers in the 1986 Bass Irish Cup had a surname beginning with the letter ‘M’. Millar got 7, Mullan 3, Manley 2 & Morrison 1.
1986 Final: Paterson; G. Neill, Leeman, Connell, Moore; Cleary, Jameson, Morrison, Manley, Mullan & Stewart.
Sub: Millar for Jameson
Our quest for a hattrick of Irish Cup wins began with a home tie against Carrick Rangers. Barney Bowers, Billy Caskey and Gary Macartney were all on target as the Glens recorded a 3-1 win to set up a second round meeting with Glenavon. Glentoran squeezed through by the narrowest of margins, Caskey and Cleary adding to an own goal from Burns to complete a 3-2 victory. It should perhaps have been more comfortable but Gary Blackledge’s dismissal left us with 10 men for the final 35 minutes.
Newry Town were our opponents in the semi-final and as in 1986, the game was played at Windsor Park on the Friday night. Marty Magee gave Newry the lead but on the half hour, Gerry Mullan netted an equaliser to take us to a replay. It took place the following Tuesday night at the same venue. Again it was Newry Town who went in front, courtesy of a first-half Eamon Hawkins penalty. On 76 minutes Jim Cleary levelled it and with just 5 minutes remaining G-Force (Macartney) poked home the winner.
We travelled across town to play Larne in the Final and again Gerry Mullan was to be on the score sheet, netting in his FOURTH Irish Cup final for Glentoran. His 33rd minute goal, set up by Raymond Morrison, was the only one of the game and the first hattrick of Irish Cup wins since 1893 had been completed.
1987 Final: Paterson; J. Smyth, Stewart, Bowers, Harrison, Cleary, Jameson, Caskey, Mullan, Macartney & Morrison.
Sub: Craig for Jameson.
We got another home draw in round two. Newry Town visited the Oval on 12th March 1988 and went back down the A1 with their tails between their legs following a 5-nil hammering. The highlight was a hattrick from Gerry Mullan. Gary Macartney and another Jim Cleary penalty completed the scoring.
Portadown provided the opposition for the semi-final at Windsor Park in early April. Gary Macartney and Ron Manley put us two up after 50 minutes and our passage to another final was looking pretty straightforward until the final 10 minutes. In a hectic finale, Greg Davidson made it 2-1 but another Cleary penalty, awarded when Ports keeper, Mickey Keenan fouled Johnny Jameson, made it 3-1. Despite going down to 10 men (following Kevin McKeever’s dismissal), Portadown set up a nervous last few minutes when Paul Millar scored their second. Glentoran held on though to set up a final meeting with Glenavon.
Before that there was a league title up for grabs. We hadn’t been champions since 1981. It was overdue. Two games remained and we were 5 points clear. Linfield at home and Coleraine away; a point in the first game would clinch it. Glentoran don’t do comfortable title wins though. A single Linfield goal meant it was going to the last game. John Devine put us one up at the Coleraine Showgrounds. The Bannsiders equalised though and with the Blues 3-1 up at home to Ballymena United, we were about to lose the big prize on goal difference. Raymond ‘Nuts’ Morrison had other ideas though and his decisive goal brought the Gibson Cup back to East Belfast.
Glentoran hadn’t won the ‘Double’ since the 1920-21 season. On the last Saturday of April at a damp Windsor Park we finally did it again. It wasn’t much of a match and as the Glens took a 90th minute corner the large crowd still hadn’t seen a goal. Billy Caskey’s goal bound header was handled by young Glenavon defender, Andy Russell and the referee pointed to the spot. Jim Cleary had scored a penalty in each of our previous three Irish Cup ties. Despite the keeper guessing correctly, Cleary’s shot whistled into the bottom left hand corner. Irish Cup number 14 had been won.
