Tuesday 17 September
Kick Off 7.45pm
Tomorrow night we welcome Loughgall to the Bet McLean Oval in match eight of this season’s Sports Direct Premiership.
Having confounded all of last season’s predictions that they would battle against relegation to finish comfortably in mid table, Loughgall have found the opening weeks of the new campaign more challenging.
An opening game 3-0 home win over Carrick Rangers offered hope of another comfortable campaign, but the five games since have yielded just two points and manager Dean Smith will have some concerns around the concession of sixteen goals in just six games and enduring 5-1 defeats away to Linfield and at home to Cliftonville on Saturday. They are currently tenth in the early season standings.
Smith’s summer transfer business saw much less turnover than many other Premiership clubs; goalkeeper Nathan Gartside arrived from Cliftonville to strengthen the goalkeeping options and defender Lewis Francis signed up after leaving Dungannon Swifts. Full backs Conor Kerr and Conor McDermott (from Glenavon and Coleraine respectively) and forward Conor McCloskey from Glenavon complete the new arrivals. On the departures side, highly sought striker Benji Magee’s move to champions Larne was the most notable of eight departures from last season’s squad.
Smith will have to plan without midfielder Tiernan Kelly after his late dismissal against the Reds, while striker Nathaniel Ferris will hope his goal against the Reds as a substitute will be enough to restore his place in the starting eleven.
Last season's home games against Loughgall couldn't have been more different. In October 2023 we had an excellent 6-0 win with goals from Jay Donnelly (2), Paddy McClean, David Fisher, Junior and Daire O'Connor. A stark contrast to the game in Warren Feeney's last game as manager when the visitors left East Belfast with a well deserved 3-0 win.
Declan Devine: “The defeat at Ballymena on Saturday was a hard one to take because – like the week before in Dungannon – it was very avoidable. In both games we created plenty of chances from the flanks but didn’t put them away before being hit with a very avoidable goal. The one on Saturday showed poor judgement on our behalf for allowing the scorer so much space from a long goal kick. That was down to us and was nothing to do with being down to ten men. It was down to poor game intelligence from us. But if we’d taken some of the chances we created it wouldn’t have mattered. That’s three one-nil defeats we’ve had this season and every one of them was down to a completely avoidable goal. We have to learn and learn fast. People have to show more courage and game understanding to make sure that doesn't happen late on.
"For tomorrow night we’re without Marcus after his very harsh sending off on Saturday..
"Loughgall are coming here on the back of a bad defeat at the weekend but they’ve had two or three decent results so far and supporters will remember the last time they were here, just before I came in. So we’ll treat them with respect but the important thing is that we get back to winning so that’s the priority for everyone on the staff.
"Finally I want to say it’s hard on the players and supporters to expect them to do Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for the second time in three weeks, plus we have it again in a fortnight with a League Cup game then Friday against Linfield. It’s happening because of TV but I think there needs to be a bit more commonsense in how the TV games are allocated. It’s expensive for supporters too as it's £15 for an adult three times a week and that mounts up for people.”
Remaining tickets for this game can be purchased HERE.
IMPORTANT SUPPORTER NOTICES
- The Board of Directors remind supporters that under no circumstance is anyone permitted to bring flares, fireworks or any other sort of pyrotechnic equipment into the Bet McLean Oval at any time. These are highly dangerous to other supporters and potentially to players. Any breach of this rule will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Persons breaking this rule will receive a lifetime ban from the Bet McLean Oval and will be reported to the police.
- We strongly request that supporters respect the rights of the local residents by parking well away from housefronts in the immediate locality. There is plenty of available parking at the Holywood Arches Heath Centre.
- The Railway Stand will unfortunately be closed for this game due to some essential maintenance work currently being undertaken by the club with the support of NIFL.
MATCH SPONSOR: GLENTORAN GAZETTE
Tomorrow night’s match sponsor is the Glentoran Gazette, Northern Ireland’s Programme of the Year for an incredible 23rd season in succession. Thanks to the Chairman and members of the Glentoran Supporters' Committee (1923).
