Sat 19 Sep 2026, 21:00
Jordan Jenkins hopes his winning goal against Cliftonville can provide the lift Glentoran need to build confidence and inject fresh momentum into their season.
The forward came off the bench at half-time and struck with seven minutes remaining to secure a vital 2-1 victory for the Glens at Solitude.
Jack Malone had headed Glentoran in front after 15 minutes before Dean McMaster levelled with an excellent free-kick in the 33rd minute.
Jenkins had opportunities after his introduction but remained patient, eventually reacting quickest when Cliftonville failed to clear a corner and firing home from close range.
Having also found the net against Coleraine on Tuesday night, Jenkins was delighted to make another decisive contribution.
“Obviously, I haven’t scored as much this year and I probably haven’t been playing my best,” he said.
“I was disappointed that I didn’t start, but I just had to keep my head. I knew that if I came on, I was going to get chances.
“I probably could have scored a couple earlier, but thankfully I got the winner.”
The victory came at the end of a challenging week for everyone at the club and provided an important response to Tuesday night’s stoppage-time defeat to Coleraine.
Jenkins acknowledged that performances and results have fallen below the standards expected so far this season, but believes the win at Solitude can give both the players and supporters a much-needed lift.
“We know we haven’t been good enough this season and that was what Paddy said in our meeting before the match,” he explained.
“The whole club needed a lift and thankfully that result has probably lifted the fans and our own moods as well.
“We haven’t been happy with the performances or the results, so hopefully the fans can go home happy, we can go home happy and we can kick on now.”
Glentoran had to withstand late pressure after Malone received a second yellow card in the 87th minute, but held firm to secure their first victory since defeating Linfield in the County Antrim Shield at the beginning of September.
Jenkins now wants the players to rediscover the confidence that has been missing and build on a significant result at one of the league’s most difficult venues.
“We haven’t had that winning feeling in a while,” he added. “Once you get it, you just want to keep it.
“Hopefully this can give us the confidence we have maybe been lacking. We want to keep that feeling, kick on and have a good rest of the season.”
The goal was also an important personal moment for Jenkins, who admitted he has been his own harshest critic during a difficult start to the campaign.
“My confidence has been in the gutter and I have probably been my own worst critic,” he said.
“I just need to keep my head down and work as hard as possible to get back into the team.
“Thankfully, I came on at half-time and scored the goal. I also scored during the week, so I just want to keep the run going.”
