Tomorrow Glentoran Seconds play in their first Steel and Sons Cup Quarter Final since last winning the competition in 2012. The Wee Glens face Sirocco Works at Dixon Park with a place in the Semi Final up for grabs and we want to wish them well as they go in search of a spot in the last four.
The run to the Quarter Final has been eventful to date with a 9-2 win over St Patrick's Young Men at The Bangor Fuels Arena in which Paul O'Neill scored 6 times kicking off the competition.
Next up in Round 2 the Glens faced an away trip to a much fancied Queen's University but with the help of a spine of young first team players, Joe Crowe, Nathan Kerr and Dylan Davidson the Glens stormed to a 3-0 win.
In the last 16 we had our first home tie of the competition and secured a 2-0 win over Ards Rangers.
That put the boys in the hat for the Quarter Final Draw and the Glens were the last team out of the hat to be handed with a short trip to Grand Parade to face local neighbours Sirocco Works.
Seconds’ Manager David Lowry has said in advance of the game "we are delighted to have reached this stage of the competition with a squad of lads who all bar one are still eligible to play in the Harry Cavan Youth Cup this season.
David Lowry
Most of the squad have a league winners medal from last season's u18 National League showing how young a side they are even for u20 level never mind a competition such as the Steel and Sons Cup but we have a lot of faith in the quality of the lads and have no fear going head to head with the best Intermediate sides out there - it's a great learning experience for the players.
On his team's chances Lowry has said "I think we have a fighting chance, but so will Sirocco and that will make for a very entertaining game. We have watched Sirocco and know that they are a dangerous outfit so we have prepared well and will give it a real go. We will have the same squad more or less that faced Glenavon in mid week. The players put a lot into that game and got a superb result against a very experienced Glenavon side so hopefully we can carry that form into tomorrow.
We also caught up with Seconds' Captain Mal Smith and asked how he has felt this season has started:
Mal Smith
"I think the season so far has been very good we’re winning games and scoring lots of goals so it's been enjoyable so far, we can still be a lot better but we have been going in the right direction. On a personal note Mal's highlight came after Monday nights match at Mourneview when he came off the pitch to be informed that he was to travel with the first team squad the following night for the County Antrim Shield game at the National Stadium.
Yes that was great to hear, obviously we put a lot into the game on Monday and it was a great reward. I didn't get playing on Tuesday night but it was a great experience to travel with the team and do the warm up and hopefully I can get a call up again soon and make a breakthrough into the team.
On tomorrows match Mal has said that the players are looking forward to it and would love to go all the way in the competition to the showpiece final on Christmas morning but knows that to do so they will have to pull out a big performance, evidenced by him stating that Paul McLaughlin will be the key man for the Glens tomorrow as the big keeper comes into the game in great form and Mal knows the team will need more of the same tomorrow from Paul and hopefully have enough to open Sirocco up at the other end.
The Glens go into the game without leading scorer Paul O'Neill who is in Ronnie McFall's match day squad for the home Premiership game against Ards.
Good luck to the wee Glens tomorrow!
Best wishes also to our under 18s who play Ards in the first round of the Harry Cavan Youth Cup. The Glens have been dealt a very difficult hand by our governing bodies as this game is being played at the same time as the Steel and Sons game and all but one of the Steel and Sons squad are eligible and would ordinarily have played in the Harry Cavan Cup. Despite our pleas for common sense to prevail both games will go ahead and at the same time so it will give our younger players a chance to shine in what is another top competition.
