Glentoran FC

The Official website of Glentoran Football Club / Pride of East Belfast 

Flickr

YoutubeTwitterFacebook

Cup Final Countdown- Halliday's Heroics

Fri, 03/05/2013 - 19:36

 

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.

2003 saw a fantastic season for Glentoran where we won the Co Antrim Shield, the CIS Cup, The Irish League title and all remained was the Irish Cup Final to give a clean sweep. It wasn't too be however as Coleraine emerged victorious on the day. It wasn't long however until we had our chance at our own back. The very next season it was Glentoran and Coleraine was once contesting the Irish Cup Final at Windsor Park. 
 
Michael Halliday was developing a name for himself as a man for the big occasion and had scored 5 goals including a hat-trick in the semi-final against Omagh Town. The Glens had also overcome Linfield at Windsor Park by 1-0 in the quarter-finals. Glentoran got their revenge for the previous season with Michael Halliday's first half goal proving the difference. He latched onto a through ball before rounding Coleraine keeper Davy O'Hare. O'Hare could only watch on as Halliday cooly finished off, slotting the ball in between future Northern Ireland and current Premier League star Gareth McAuley's legs. 
 
Halliday's winner sent Glentoran into ecstacy as the club brought home the Irish Cup for a 20th time.
 
 
To view goals from Halliday's Cup finals click the following- 2001 2004
 
Nine years has now passed since Halliday's heroics brought Glentoran Cup number 19 and 20. We returned to the Final one time since, being beaten 2-1 by Linfield, their first win post-war in the Cup Final against us in 2006- once again Halliday scored for the Glens. Tomorrow we return to Windsor Park in fantastic spirits in order to add another day to our club's fantastic history books. Come on ye Glens.