Glentoran played out a Boxing Day stalemate in today’s Big-Two battle with Linfield at the BetMcLean Oval.
The Glens enjoyed the majority of possession and territory against their arch-rivals but could not find a winner as both sides finished the game with only 10 men on the field of play after two red cards.
The draw keeps Declan Devine’s men third in the Sports Direct Premiership table, just a point behind Dungannon Swifts in second.
In perfect conditions, a bumper crowd was in attendance in East Belfast hoping to see Glentoran post a fourth successive victory over David Healy’s men, and things began positively with Jordan Jenkins having the first effort after 15 minutes.
Jenkins skipped past his marker before letting fly with a left-footed shot that flew just wide of the upright. Just after the half-hour mark Jenkins would have the best chance of the half.
James Singleton flicked Marcus Kane’s header towards the onrushing Jenkins who successfully lifted the ball over the onrushing David Walsh in goal, but his chipped effort ran tantalisingly just wide of the far post.
The Glens’ man was not done there and went close for a third time on the stroke of half-time, but Walsh managed to get an outstretched toe to the shot to keep it out as Devine’s men went in at the break disappointed not to be in front.

Half-Time: Glentoran 0-0 Linfield

As Glentoran continued their outright dominance in the second period, the home support felt Linfield should have been a man down on the hour, when Walsh brought down that man Jenkins who had beaten him just outside the Blue’s penalty area, but referee Shane Andrews decided a yellow was suitable punishment.
Moments later Linfield almost had an opener themselves when Stephen Fallon smashed a header off the crossbar, but the ball was cleared to safety.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, the Blues were reduced to 10 men as Roscoe was given his marching orders for a foul on striker David Fisher.
The Glens were then reduced to 10-men too as captain Kane was shown a second yellow card for pulling Joel Cooper to ground.
Neither side managed to break the deadlock, but the game will go down as one of the most enthralling 0-0 of the season.
Next up for Glentoran is a trip to fourth-placed Portadown on Monday evening as they look to get back to winning ways.
Full-Time: 0-0

Glentoran: Gyollai, Lyons-Foster, Kane (captain), Hvid, Sule, Connolly, Palmer, Fisher, Amos, Singleton, Jenkins.

Photos by PACEMAKER