Glentoran’s newly crowned Player of the Year, Dániel Gyollai, says the squad is fully focused on delivering a statement performance against Linfield this weekend as they continue their push for automatic European qualification.
The Hungarian stopper, who was voted 2024/25 Player of the Year by Glentoran supporters on Tuesday night, is calling on his teammates to build on the momentum from their midweek win over Coleraine and extend their unbeaten run against Linfield to six games this season.
Saturday’s Big Two clash at The National Stadium (Kick-off: 1pm) marks the second of five split fixtures for Declan Devine’s side, as they battle to secure a top-two finish and avoid the drama of the European play-offs.
Glentoran currently sit second in the Sports Direct Premiership on 57 points, two clear of third-placed Larne and six ahead of Dungannon Swifts in fourth, leaving no margin for error in the race for the final automatic European place.
With four challenging away fixtures remaining, the Glens face a demanding run-in starting with Linfield at The National Stadium this weekend, followed by trips to Crusaders (12th April), Dungannon Swifts (19th April) and Larne (26th April).
While Linfield will lift the league trophy after the final whistle on Saturday, Gyollai says Glentoran are determined to take the shine off their fiercest rivals’ celebrations by claiming all three points in a European race that looks destined to go right to the wire.
Dániel Gyollai said: “It’s their day off the pitch, but we’re going there to do a job on it. These last four games are huge for us. We’re fighting for second place and automatic European football and we’re heading to the National Stadium fully focused on bringing the three points back to East Belfast.
“We won’t be distracted by the outside noise. We know what’s coming – a big crowd, a fired-up Linfield team – but we’ll be ready. We’ll put our bodies on the line and run ourselves into the ground if that’s what it takes to win.
“Our fans have been incredible all season, home and away. They’ve backed us every step of the way and they deserve a strong finish. We’ll give everything we have to make that happen.”
Declan Devine’s side got their split campaign off to the perfect start on Tuesday night, claiming a hard-fought 2-1 win over Coleraine at The BetMcLean Oval to climb back into second place in the Sports Direct Premiership.
An early own goal and a cracking second-half finish from substitute Dylan Connolly sealed a vital three points in front of a vocal East Belfast crowd, as the Glens delivered the ideal response to a challenging run of form.
It was another standout performance from Gyollai. The Hungarian made a crucial penalty save to deny Coleraine’s top scorer Matthew Shevlin, before pulling off an outstanding reflex stop to tip over a thunderous effort from Jack Scott.
Gyollai said: “Tuesday night was a massive win – not just for the table, but for belief inside the dressing room. We knew we had to get back to winning ways. Every team hits tough spells over the course of a season, but the boys stuck together, dug deep and found a way to win.
“It wasn’t perfect, but it was exactly what we needed. As a goalkeeper, it felt great to play my part with the penalty save and the reflex stop, but the credit goes to the whole group. Everyone stood up, put in a shift and helped grind out the result.

“Now it’s about building on that and taking it into the final four games. We’ve four cup finals to play and there are no second chances at this stage. We’ve got to be fully focused and take each game as it comes.”
Saturday’s fixture marks the sixth meeting between the sides this season with Glentoran unbeaten in the previous five, having recorded four wins and one draw. A 3-1 league victory at the National Stadium in October was followed by a 1-0 league win at The BetMcLean Oval in November.
Glentoran then edged a 1-0 BetMcLean Cup win at the National Stadium in December, before the sides played out a goalless draw in the Boxing Day derby. Most recently, the Glens sealed a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory in the Irish Cup in January.
Dániel said: “We’ve had success against them this season, but none of that counts for anything unless we show up and do it again on Saturday. They’ll be desperate to mark their title with a win over us, but we’re not there to play a part in anyone’s celebration.
“We’ve got a massive prize of our own to chase. We’ll be going there fired-up, focused and ready to battle for every ball. We know what’s at stake and we’ll do everything we can to bring the points back to East Belfast.”
The 27-year-old Hungarian goalkeeper, who joined the club last summer and recently signed a new contract extension, was officially named 2024/25 Glentoran Player of the Year following Tuesday night’s victory over Coleraine.
The award – voted for by the club’s supporters and organised by the Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters’ Club – places him in elite company, joining Albert Finlay, Alan Paterson and Elliott Morris as the only goalkeepers to claim the accolade since its inception in 1958.
Gyollai said: “I’m incredibly proud to win this award, especially because it comes from the supporters. That means everything to me. From the very first day I arrived in East Belfast, I’ve felt the backing of the fans and the people around this club.
“To be recognised like this, in my first season, is something I’ll never forget. But I also know the jobs not done. I signed a new contract because I love being here. I believe in what we’re building and I want to be part of it long-term.
“More than anything, I want this season to finish with something to show for all the hard work. We’ve got four huge games ahead of us and we’ll give everything to make sure we end it on a high.”
For Glentoran fans planning to attend Saturday’s Sports Direct Premiership fixture against Linfield, match tickets are available for purchase at: https://linfieldfc.com/tickets/away.