Glentoran moved comfortably into the Quarter Final of the Bet McLean League Cup with this very straightforward win over Championship opposition at the Bet McLean Oval.
Perhaps with Friday night’s home Danske Bank Premiership game with Carrick. Mick McDermott opened the game with the same starting line-up as last weekend’s abandoned game with Ballymena United. Ally Roy and James Singleton remained unavailable, but Terry Devlin was on the bench following his injury sustained on international duty last week.
The Glens started off on the front foot with Jay Donnelly, Shay McCartan and Bobby Burns (with a great 20-yard effort) all coming close before international man of the moment Conor McMenamin opened the scoring on 18 minutes. Conor received the ball on the right wing, cut inside and gave Conor Mitchell in the point goal no chance as he nonchalantly swept home an unstoppable shot to give the Glens the lead. Two minutes later the lead was doubled as skipper Marcus Kane swept majestically to powerfully head home a Hrvoje corner.
Glentoran continued to dominate the game and three minutes before the break, jay Donnelly poked home the third of the game after strong work by his brother Rory and Shay McCartan.
Half Time: Glentoran 3-0 Warrenpoint Town
Immediately after the break the lead was extended when Paddy McClean rose to head home a pinpoint corner from Plum. At that point, the game was effectively over as a contest and Mick McDermott made five tactical substitutions between 58 and 68 minutes.
The final substitution saw the introduction for young forward Kirk McLaughlin for his second appearance since signing from Coleraine in August. Kirk made an immediate impression with his skill and directness, before scoring his first goal for the club when he finished well after a move he started from a deep position. It was no more than Kirk deserved for his exciting cameo. Two minutes before the final whistle, Paddy McClean scored his second of the night when he decisively headed home a Sean Murray free kick.
This comfortable win was the Glens eighth successive victory in all competitions this season, our eighth clean sheet out of nine matches and a start to the season start with twenty-five goals scored and only one conceded to date. The rain drenched team fully deserved their warm ovation at the end.
Full Time: Glentoran 6-0 Warrenpoint Town
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, Marshall (McLaughlin 68), Kane (c), McClean, Wilson, Plum (Crowe 64), Burns, McCartan (Murray 58), R. Donnelly, J. Donnelly (Purkis 58) & McMenamin (Wightman 58).
