Saturday 6 April 2019, Kick Off 3pm
The era of Mick McDermott as Glentoran Head Coach starts on Saturday against the team that effectively ended the second Ronnie McFall era as Glens Manager with their 2-4 win at the Oval on New Year’s Day.
The two teams haven’t significantly changed their relative positions since our last meting with the Swifts two places and two points behind us in the table. We’ve come out of our three meetings so far this season worse off with one win and two defeats. In August we won 2-1 at the Oval with goals from Curtis Allen and Calum Birney while at the end of November we lost 1-0 at Stangmore Park in what was at that point our worst performance of the season. However, that title was well and truly lost at the start of the year. That day there was no sign of what was to come when Stevie Gordon gave us a 43rd minute lead near the end of a pretty even first half. But an immediate Daniel Hughes equaliser signalled the start of a Glens implosion which even a great late consolation goal from John Herron couldn’t make respectable.
For the third consecutive year we find ourselves in the wrong end of the split. At this stage last year we won 4-2 at the Oval but at most only three of the thirteen players who featured that day – Elliott Morris, Marcus Kane and Curtis Allen – will play for us on Saturday. One of our goalscorers that day – James Ferrin – is likely to be in the Swifts team following his January move.
With just five games left for us to earn the essential place in the Europa League playoffs, a performance like the one last year is definitely needed. If we perform as we did in the first half at Solitude last week and in our previous match at Ballymena Showgrounds, Mick should get his reign off to a positive start.
Mick McDermott said after training tonight: “We’ve had a really good first couple of nights’ training this week with Paul Millar in for his first session tonight (Thursday). We’ve got the core of a good squad here with players like Moko, Curtis, Robbie and big Darren who could get into any squad in the league. That gives us something positive to go into the last month of the season with and get us into the European play offs. Everyone has worked very hard this week and despite the difficulties they’ve faced this season there was a good, positive spirit about the squad tonight and a lot of hard work.
I watched the full Cliftonville match on the Glens TV footage. Obviously, it was disappointing to lose the match so late – something I know has been a recurring problem this season – but there were some positive signs, particularly in the first half performance. The players all worked very hard and I thought Paul O’Neill’s goal was a great finish after a great move started by Gavin Peers and great movement and cross from Curtis. That first half is how we’ll need to play for all of every match from here on in if we’re to make it into Europe next month.
For Saturday the doubts are around John Herron and Conor Pepper. John had to come ff after taking a nasty knock after a few very heavy challenges last week. Conor has worked incredibly hard and through that hard work has nearly got himself back to full fitness. But his hamstring still might not be ready in time for this one. We’ll give both lads every chance but I’m not over confident about it.
I’m looking forward to my first match. I know there will be a lot of interest in it so I know the Glentoran support will turn up in big numbers and get behind the team on Saturday.”
