The final installment in our Cup Final Countdown before the big day tomorrow comes from our last two Irish Cup successes in 2001 and 2004 where Michael Halliday grabbed both winners.
Armagh City were our first opponents in the 2001 Irish Cup. Two goals from Justin McBride, one from the penalty spot, and another from Gary Smyth saw us safely over the first hurdle. Former Glentoran player, Alfie Stewart brought his Moyola Park team to the Oval in the next round but the Glens proved too good for the junior side; Rainey, McCann, Smyth and Nixon all on target in a 4-nil win.
The quarter-final draw paired us with Institute. The game, again at the Oval ended 2-1 with Tim McCann and Darren Fitzgerald getting the Glens’ goals. A semi-final of Distillery against Glentoran meant the possibility of another ‘big-two’ Irish Cup final was still alive. Distillery though took the lead in the game only for Justin McBride to equalise from the penalty spot before the break. A Rory Hamill cross was turned home by Fitzgerald in the second half to decide the contest.
May 5th 2001 and another Glentoran v Linfield Irish Cup final loomed. The Glens had a proud record to defend, not having lost an Irish Cup final to the old enemy since 1945. We were dealt a blow though in the lead up to the game when Rory Hamill was suspended by FIFA following the results of a drugs test. The game itself was a very cagey affair and after 90 minutes the deadlock had still to be broken. 9 minutes into extra-time the Glens were attacking the Kop end. A Tim McCann effort hit the crossbar but Michael Halliday was on hand to stab the ball home from about a yard out. The North Stand went wild……again and with the Blues having nothing left in the tank, Glentoran saw out the remaining minutes to lift the Irish Cup for the 19th time.
Irish Cup Winners 2001: Gough, Nixon, Ferguson, Young, Leeman, Smyth, McCann, Halliday, Fitzgerald, Batey & Lockhart.
Sub. McBride for Lockhart.
