Jordan Jenkins has challenged his Glentoran teammates to dig deep and deliver another big performance as the Glens travel to face Dungannon Swifts this Saturday in a crucial Sports Direct Premiership clash at Stangmore Park (Kick-off: 3:00pm).
With just two games remaining in the post-split campaign, the race for second place and with it, automatic European qualification is on a knife edge. Declan Devine’s men sit second on 60 points, one clear of Larne and eight ahead of Coleraine.
Depending on Friday night’s result between Larne and champions Linfield, the Glens could arrive at Stangmore knowing victory will secure second place. But Jenkins insists the focus remains solely on delivering a performance that keeps Glentoran in control of their own destiny.
Jordan Jenkins said: “Our destiny is in our own hands and we’ve got to see it through. The mindset is clear: focus on ourselves, handle our business and take three points. It’s a must-win. No excuses.
“Dungannon are a good side. They’ve got an Irish Cup Final coming up and every one of their players will be out to impress. That makes them dangerous. But for us, this is a massive game – and we have to treat it like a final.”
“The performance against Crusaders last weekend was excellent – that’s the benchmark for how we want to play. We worked hard, pressed with intensity, were clinical in front of goal and when they had a chance, big Dan made the save.
“That’s what it takes. That’s the energy, the mentality and the togetherness we need to bring into Saturday. There’s no room for error. We’ve got to go out, deliver and take three points back to the BetMcLean Oval.”
Jenkins scored his 16th goal of the season in last weekend’s emphatic 4-0 win at Seaview, capping off a standout display with a composed finish. Later that evening, he was named the winner of the NIFL Goal of the Season for his thunderous strike against Cliftonville in August.
But with just two games to go, the Glens’ striker insists the focus is entirely on helping the team secure automatic European qualification.
Jenkins said: “It’s always an honour to win individual awards and to score goals as that’s what I’m here to do. But none of that means anything if we don’t finish the job as a team.

“From the start of this season, we set clear goals and qualifying for Europe was right up there. This is a new squad that came together last summer and we’ve built something strong here. Securing European football would be a huge platform for us to grow even further.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard to put ourselves in this position. Now it’s about finishing strong, staying focused and making sure we don’t leave anything behind. We owe that to each other and to the fans who’ve backed us all season.
“I want more goals, more big moments and more success in a Glentoran shirt. But more than anything, I want to help this group of players achieve something together. We’ve come too far, put too much into this, to let it slip now.”
The Glens have taken six points from a possible nine in their post-split fixtures, recording victories over Coleraine and Crusaders either side of a narrow defeat to Linfield. A final-day showdown away to Larne – in what could prove to be a winner-takes-all clash – still looms, but Jenkins knows that Saturday’s visit to Dungannon could be just as decisive in shaping how the season ends. And he’s under no illusions about the challenge Rodney McAree’s side will pose.
This will be the fourth meeting between the sides this season. Dungannon edged the reverse fixture at Stangmore Park back in September with a 1-0 win, but Glentoran responded with a 2-0 victory at The BetMcLean Oval in October, followed by a gritty 1-0 success in February, sealed by a dramatic 90th-minute strike from Danny Amos.
Jordan added: “Training’s been sharp all week – everyone’s focused, locked in, and we know exactly what’s at stake. We’re going into this game full of confidence and belief. The mindset is clear: deliver a performance, get the result, and take another big step toward where we want to be.
“Dungannon are a good footballing side and they’ll want to finish their league season strong. Rodney will have them fired up and well-organised, especially with a cup final on the horizon. They’ve already taken points off us this season, so we know exactly how tough this one will be.
“We’re also expecting another big turnout from the Glens fans and they’ll be massive for us. Stangmore’s tight to the pitch, so you hear every shout, every cheer and that noise really drives the boys on. The support we’ve had all season has been unbelievable. We want to send the fans home proud on Saturday and we’ll be giving absolutely everything to make sure we do just that.”
For Glentoran fans planning to attend Saturday’s Sports Direct Premiership fixture against Dungannon Swifts, match tickets are available for purchase at: https://dungannonswiftsfc.com/matchtickets/.