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Match Preview: Glentoran v Warrenpoint Town

Mon, 03/10/2022 - 22:43

Tuesday 4th October 2022

Kick Off 7.45pm

Bet McLean League Cup

On Tuesday evening we are pleased to welcome our friends from Warrenpoint Town to the Bet McLean Oval for the second round of the Bet McLean League Cup.

Following their relegation, Point had a rocky start to life in the Lough 41 Championship with two opening 3-0 defeats. However they bounced back swiftly and well to come to the Oval on the back of – like us – an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Most recently, on Saturday last, a late Luke Walsh equalizer gave them a 1-1 draw away to Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park.

There are a couple of very familiar faces in the visiting squad. Captain Fra McCaffrey had three and a half seasons at Glentoran, winning an Irish Cup winner’s medal in 2015. It could be argued that the most memorable of Fra’s 89 Glentoran appearances was at the same stage in this tournament in October 2014 when he scored a great hat trick in our 5-1 win over Glenavon at Mourneview Park. In the summer, Barry Gray added former Glens forward Jim O’Hanlon to his squad. “Jinky” played 131 times for the club, scoring 15 goals between his debut in 2011 and leaving for Australia in October 2015. Jim’s last Glens goal was the winner in a 1-0 league win at Warrenpoint three weeks before leaving the club.

Other well-known faces likely to appear tomorrow night are striker Alan O’Sullivan – scorer v Glentoran on a number of occasions - former Linfield and Larne keeper Conor Mitchell and ex-Larne midfielder Luke Wade Slater.

Point’s two visits to East Belfast last season both ended in Danske Bank Premiership defeats. In November first half goals from Jay Donnelly and stand in skipper Paddy McClean were enough to secure the three points, despite a goal from on loan Thomas Maguire after the break. Our most recent meeting in January was decided by a single goal in the 39th minute and took the Glens to the top of the league table. Our one visit to Milltown was dominated by a Jay Donnelly hat trick in a 3-0 win.

Mick McDermott: “I was very disappointed for our fans that we could not continue the match v Ballymena United on Friday night. The staff and volunteers around the club had worked tirelessly all week to get the pitch ready and it was in immaculate condition., even in the hour or so leading up to the game, but the 45-minute deluge starting just before kick-off cost us an exciting night under the lights. It was clear for all present that the players started the game with quality, hunger and intensity. We looked very sharp and incisive right from kick off so there was a real enthusiasm around the stadium.

Warrenpoint tomorrow night is our priority and the only game we are thinking about right now. No doubt we will set up to win this game to advance us to the quarter-final. But we must show full respect to Warrenpoint. They have a very experienced manager and coaching team and some very experienced, talented players who have done well at Premiership level and they will be out to gain a good result. But it’s a knock out tournament and with a place in the semi-final at stake we know how we need to approach the game.”