Glentoran secured their biggest win since September 2011 with this comprehensive victory in the Bet McLean League Cup. With no fewer than six players on the scoresheet.
Mick McDermott made eight changes to last week’s starting line-up v Lisburn Distiller, perhaps most significantly the return of skipper Marcus Kane after the injury he recently picked up against Newry City. Recent signing 18-year-old Terry Devlin retained his place in centre midfield while Mal Smith was injured for this one.
Following an impeccably observed minute silence for the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, the Glens dominated from the start with early chances falling to Hrvoje Plum and Jay Donnelly in the opening stages. What seemed to be an inevitable opening goals came from Jay after 24 minutes. Conor McMenamin played in a deep cross from the right and the striker rose to head home with aplomb for his second goal of the season.
Despite efforts from Donnelly, McMenamin and Shay McCartan, it looked like the lead would be one goal going into the break, until a late flurry of goalmouth activity.
First, on the blow, Bobby Burns surprised the Institute defence with an ingenuous long free kick to the head of Paddy McClean at the far post. Paddy headed back across the goalmouth where it was bundled home by his defensive partner Aidan Wilson. Then in injury time, Conor McMenamin went on a typically unplayable solo run and shot, a shot deflected over the keeper’s head by a defender.
Half Time: Glentoran 3-0 Institute
Five minutes into the half, the Glens’ lead was extended, again with McMenamin involved. This time Conor slipped a lovely pass across the goal to Hrvoje Plum, who was in the right place at exactly the right time to stroke home for his side’s fourth.
Despite their domination – and with a number of tactical substitutions made – it would be another twenty minutes before the Glens got their fifth. This time it was one of the subs – Danny Purkis – who struck. Having just pulled an excellent save from Doherty in the Inst goal, Danny took the ball down on the left of the box and shot high into the far corner of the net. Purkis wasn’t finished. Four minutes later, he headed home a Plum cross.
The final goal of the evening was arguably the finest, as Ally Roy latched onto another incisive pass by Plum and hit a wonderful strike past Doherty for the Glens seventh and final goal. The final action of the evening was a good effort from Aaron Wightman touched over the bar by the busy Doherty, one of a number of fine saves from the embattled keeper.
So, an excellent performance from the Glens as we welcome Coleraine to the Bet McLean Oval on Saturday for a meeting of two of the league’s most in-form sides.
Full Time: Glentoran 7-0 Institute
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: McCarey, Marshall, Kane (c), McClean, Wilson (Crowe 53), Devlin (Wightman 53), Plum, Burns, McCartan (Murray 69), J. Donnelly (Purkis 63) & McMenamin (Roy 63).
The winner of tonight's Halfers Draw did not claim their winnings. This can still be claimed at Saturday's home game v Coleraine.
