Declan Devine says Glentoran must hit the ground running as they prepare to launch their 2026/27 Irish Premiership campaign against newly promoted Limavady United at The BetMcLean Oval on Saturday.

After mounting a sustained challenge for the Gibson Cup last season before ultimately finishing third, the Glens manager believes there is renewed hunger within his squad as they look to end the Club’s 17-year wait for the league title.

While Larne and Coleraine have strengthened after finishing above Glentoran last season, Devine believes the ever-improving standard across the Premiership means there can be no margin for error from the opening weekend.

“In the Irish League now, you can’t afford to stand still because every team is investing in their squad and pushing forward,” said the Glentoran boss.

“It’s not just the full-time teams, it’s every club throughout the league that’s doing business and looking to strengthen.

“That’s the beauty of the Irish League. We know every team is competitive and, on any given day, can beat anyone.

“We saw that on numerous occasions last season and I’ve no doubt it will be exactly the same this year.

“We were disappointed with how the season ended, but there were so many positives for us to take from it and build on ahead of this campaign.

“We certainly haven’t been sitting back and feeling sorry for ourselves. In football, you have to learn from your disappointments and use them to fire you up for the next challenge.

“We have a squad here with a real hunger and desire to bring success to this club, and I’ve seen that since the players returned for pre-season.

“They’ve already put in a lot of hard work, but they know that’s only the start. They have to keep working hard in every game this season and their quality will shine through.

“There’s no dress rehearsal now. We have to be at it from the first game, as we saw last year. You can’t afford to throw away points in this league because you can find yourself off the pace very quickly.

“The teams I expect to be challenging for the title will be thinking exactly the same way, and they’ll be out to win every game too.

“It’s going to be a real challenge, but it’s one that everyone at this club is relishing.”

There has been measured change to Devine’s squad over the summer, with experienced trio Zeno Rossi, Gregg Sloggett and Rhys Walsh arriving at The BetMcLean Oval.

While Glentoran have added quality, they have also had to contend with the departures of two of last season’s standout performers, Cameron Palmer and MJ Kamson-Kamara.

Devine believes replacing players of that calibre is never straightforward but is confident his new arrivals will make a significant impact.

“Both Cameron and MJ were superb for us last season and were among the outstanding players in the Premiership,” he said.

“Unfortunately, MJ’s loan spell came to an end and you saw just how highly sought after he was when Hearts moved quickly to sign him.

“Cameron has joined him in Scotland after signing for Scottish Championship side Livingston.

“We were gutted to lose him because he was the outstanding midfielder in the Premiership last season.

“It was a fantastic opportunity for him and we fully understood his reasons for making the move.

“When you lose players of that quality, it’s vitally important that you replace them with quality players and I think we’ve done really well in that regard.

“Zeno showed in our European tie against RFS just how good he is. He has a wealth of experience from his time with Bournemouth, Kilmarnock and Dundee.

“Not only is he an outstanding defender, but he’s also going to be a real threat in the opposition penalty area.

“Greg is another player with bags of quality and experience from his time in the League of Ireland and, more recently, in England. He’ll be a big player for us.

“I was also delighted to bring Rhys back to the club. He’s an exciting player who gets people off their seats and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do this season.”

Glentoran’s opening test comes against a Limavady United side returning to the Premiership following promotion, and Devine expects a difficult afternoon against Paul Owens’ men.

The Glens manager was full of praise for his opposite number, believing Limavady have assembled a squad capable of making a strong impression on their return to the top flight.

“Paul has done a fantastic job during his time in charge,” he said.

“They’ve pulled off a couple of cup shocks over the past two seasons and fully deserved their promotion.

“I know Paul well. He’s a fantastic coach who cut his teeth at Coleraine before returning to Limavady, where he has really kicked on.

“He made a few shrewd signings last season, bringing Philip Lowry in to play alongside his brother Stephen.

“Those two lads have done everything in the Irish League and their experience will be vital.

“They’ve strengthened again this summer, bringing in players who not only have quality but also plenty of experience in this league.

“I’ve no doubt they’ll give a very good account of themselves this season and they’ll be determined to show everyone what they’re about.

“We have to make sure we don’t give them any encouragement on Saturday because they have players who can hurt you.

“It all comes back to the hunger and desire in our camp. We have to be at it from the first whistle and show exactly what we’re all about.”

With another fiercely competitive Premiership campaign about to begin, Devine is determined to ensure Glentoran make a positive start in front of the home support and lay down an early marker in the race for the Gibson Cup.

For Glentoran fans planning to attend Saturday’s Irish Premiership fixture against Limavady United, match tickets are available to purchase at: https://www.glentoran.com/tickets/home-tickets/