Ballyclare Comrades v Glentoran
Irish Cup Round Six
Dixon Park, Ballyclare
Saturday 3rd February 2018, 3pm kick off.
This Saturday we continue this year’s Irish Cup campaign with a visit to Ballyclare.
We haven’t played the Comrades in the Irish Cup since the same stage in February 2010, again in Dixon Park when a Colin Nixon goal and a penalty from Gary Hamilton were enough to secure a 1-2 win for the Glens.
Comrades are currently fourth in the Bluefin Championship, level on points with Newry City and one point behind the Welders in the promotion play off spot. In the last round they beat Portadown 1-2 at Shamrock Park. Despite their recent patchy league results Comrades under manager Clifford Adams are 24 points ahead of our fifth round opponents, Lurgan Celtic so will need to be respected on Saturday.
Gary Haveron said after training on Thursday night: “I’m really pleased to have been able to bring Alex O’Hanlon and Peter McMahon in this week. I said earlier in the window that I only wanted to bring in players who I felt could some straight into the team to make an impact and improve us in certain specific positions. I’m confident Alex and Peter can make a big difference in central midfield and on the right wing. They’re both players who can both create chances for the forwards but also we need more goals from midfield and I’m confident they will give us that. I’d like to say I’ve had great backing from the Board over the past few weeks in trying to strengthen and I’ve still got a couple of options I’m looking at who could be signed outside the window.
We’ve a full strength squad on Saturday with both Alex and Peter immediately available and well in contention for a start. I rested Willie Garrett last Saturday as after two years out he played five difficult games in a month and we have to make sure we manage his return carefully and sensibly. Willie is in strong contention for a start at Ballyclare.
I know how important the Irish Cup is to everyone at Glentoran so we’ll go to Ballyclare to get a result that gets us into the quarter final and gives the whole club the lift it deserves.”
