After the four wins in a row until 1989, Linfield ended our 1989 dreams of 5 in a row but we were back at it again by 1990. Defeating the old enemy in the Irish Cup semi-final was part of the infamous 7-UP season, where we beat Linfield in all 7 encounters with Gary Macartney scoring in each game. Portadown were Irish League Champions, looking to win the double and went into the game as favourites. With the game scoreless at half-time and Glentoran’s Macartney and Campbell both off injured things looked pretty bleak. There won’t have been many who had Geordie Neill down as first goal scorer. In his long career he’d only ever scored twice before. Just before the hour mark George hit one from the edge of the box. People on the Kop were diving for cover! The ball though, whistled into the top corner and the Glentoran fans in the North Stand went crazy. The goal gave Glentoran a massive lift and as Portadown began to wilt, substitutes Stephen Douglas and Raymond Morrison added further goals the make it 3-nil. Remarkably Portadown had still never beaten us in the Irish Cup. 1990 was our 5th win in 6 years and our 15th overall.
1990 Final: D. Smyth; G. Neill, McCaffrey, Devine, Moore, Bowers, R. Campbell, Caskey, Macartney, Douglas & Jameson.
From being so used to Cup success it took a famous goal from Glen Little on May 4th 1996 to send Glentoran back into Cup Final delight. There were no scares in the early rounds but Ballymena United in a replay held a two goal lead before Michael Smith Glen Little sent the teams in all-square at the interval. The big Londoner ended up going home with the match ball as Glentoran eventually ran out winners, 4-2.
The semi-final against Crusaders took place on a wet Friday night at Windsor Park. Twice the Crues led (through Stephen Baxter and Glenn Hunter) and twice the Glens fought back. The first equaliser came when keeper, Kevin McKeown, under pressure from John Devine, fumbled the ball from a corner. It crossed the line and big John wheeled away in celebration. The replays suggested though that it was an own goal. Trevor Smith got our second in the 78th minute to take the semi-final to a replay. The replay, again under the Windsor Park lights, was tied (1-1) and looking like going to extra-time. Both teams had given their all and it needed something a little special to decide things. As injury time began Liam Coyle controlled the ball perfectly on the edge of the box, his first touch taking it past the defenders. His second was an explosive right foot shot which whistled into the Kop goal past a helpless Kevin McKeown. Another Cup final awaited.
The final against Glenavon, played on Saturday 4th May 1996, wasn’t a classic. The goal that won it was though. Glen Little was again the star performer, picking the ball up and hitting an absolute peach into the top left-hand corner of the net. A wonder goal from probably the best player on the pitch on the day and a goal worthy of winning any game. It was party time again in the East.
Irish Cup Final 1996: D. Devine, Nixon, Finlay, Walker, J. Devine, Parker, Smyth, Little, Coyle, Batey & McBride.