Glentoran secured a first-ever Boxing Day win over rivals Linfield at the Clearer Twist National Stadium thanks to Joe Thomson’s stunning first half strike.

The Glens dominance was rewarded before the half hour mark when Thomson surged forward before smashing into the top corner from outside the box.

Declan Devine’s men had the better of the chances after the break as they stood firm to claim the points and move into third place in the Irish Premiership table.

Both sides observed a minute’s silence before kick-off for the late Callum McVeigh, who tragically lost his life on Christmas Eve.

After a low key start it was the visitors who threatened first as MJ Kamson-Kamara headed straight at Chris Johns in the home goal with 15 minutes on the clock.

Pat Hoban then headed over from close range six minutes later after great work from Jordan Stewart to pick out the striker in the box.

Linfield responded in the 23rd minute as Matthew Fitzpatrick’s close-range effort was blocked by the Glentoran defence.

It was end-to-end stuff now with Cameron Palmer drawing a good save out of Johns in the 27th minute.

The visitors weren’t to be denied though as Thomson broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion two minutes later as he stepped forward before unleashing a thunderbolt into the top corner from fully 25 yards.

The Glens were carrying all the threat and Kamson-Kamara tested Johns with another header nine minutes before the break.

Linfield carved out the first opportunity of the second half as Fitzpatrick got on the end of a Dane McCullough cross, but Andrew Mills gathered easily.

Glentoran should have doubled their advantage before the hour mark but were denied twice by Johns in quick succession.

First the Linfield ‘keeper blocked from Jordan Jenkins as he raced clear before he denied Hoban from close range two minutes later.

The home side rang the changes in the final quarter in a bid to get back into the game, but the Glens offered up very little in terms of chances as they stood firm to claim all three points.

Full-Time: Linfield 0 Glentoran 1

Glentoran: Mills, Cooney, Kamson-Kamara, Kane (capt), Singleton, Palmer, Thomson, Burt (Amos), Stewart (Russell), Hoban, Jenkins.

Subs: Crellin, Ferris, Pattisson, Larmour, Douglas.