Another game of two halves at the Bet McLean Oval today as a pretty nondescript and largely incident free first 45 minutes was followed by a performance of outstanding confidence and control by the home side.
Declan Devine continued with the team from last week’s Big Two win at the National Stadium, restoring Cameron Palmer to central midfield and Daniel Gyollai to goal with Tuesday’s County Antrim Shield man of the match Finlay Thorndike to the bench. However Thorndike was to play and contribute for over an hour.
The first twenty minutes were notable solely for a shot just wide at one end from Paddy McClean and two minutes later when John McGovern – scorer of the only goal in our September defeat at Stangmore Park – was put through but shot wide.
The Glens had a strong penalty claim denied on twenty minutes when ex Glentoran midfielder Gael Bigirimana appeared to handle a right-wing cross form Dylan Connolly. Referee Ross Dunlop thought otherwise and played on. Two minutes later Glens skipper Marcus Kane had to leave the action, replaced by Finlay Thorndike with the outstanding James Singleton moving to right back and Paddy McClean to his more familiar position beside Frankie Hvid in the centre of defence.
Glentoran did get a penalty on the half hour after David Fisher – put through by Thorndike – was felled in the Swifts’ box before he could get his shot away. The big number 19 stepped up for the penalty but it was a poor one , easily saved by keeper Patrick Solis Grogan.
Half time: Glentoran 0-0 Dungannon Swifts
We started the second half very strongly and took a deserved lead seven minutes after the break as Fisher atoned for the penalty miss. After excellent work by Cameron Palmer down the right, Fisher dispossessed Bigirimana to hit home. It was no more than the Glens deserved.
Immediately afterwards Solis Grogan – who had an excellent afternoon – made a brilliant save from a goal bound Jay Donnelly header. Then the goal that made the game a bit safer. This came from a Thorndike left side corner. The corner was brought down by Danny Amos to Paddy McClean who was able to turn and blast home for his first of the season.
Solis Grogan was called into action again when Singleton and Palmer combined to put Jordan Jenkins – a 66th minute sub – through. JJ’s shot was well hit and goal bound but for a one-handed diving save.
Singleton then acrobatically hit the bar from a corner and Palmer had a good effort well saved after being cleverly put through by Thorndike. Palmer and Jenkins again combined well with a minute to go but JJ was very unlucky to see his header come back off the right-hand post.
So another very convincing performance by the team and our seventh consecutive clean sheet at home in all competitions. Definitely a deserved ovation from the stand after the final whistle.
Full Time: Glentoran 2-0 Dungannon Swifts
Glentoran: Gyollai, Kane (c) (Thorndike 22) , Amos, Hvid, McClean, Sule, Singleton,, Connolly, Fisher (Wassim 88) and Donnelly (Jenkins 66),
Subs (Not used): Mills, Lyons-Foster, Lindsay, Parfitt
Photography by PACEMAKER