Dunmurry Young Men 3-3 Glentoran 20s
(Glentoran win 4-2 on penalties)
Paul McLaughlin, Ross Tharma and Mal Smith
Glentoran travelled across Belfast to face Northern Amateur Football League side Dunmurry Young Men in the first round of the IFA Intermediate Cup and managed to prevail in an extremely exciting encounter!
The Glens survived a couple of early scares before taking the lead through a super finish from Tharma who cut in from the left and fired across the keeper for 1-0.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0, Tharma again the scorer as he steered in a Nathan Best cross.
Right on the stroke of half time Dunmurry deservedly got back into the game with a great finish from 18 yards.
The Glens controlled most of the second half but Dunmurry levelled the game on the break and could have gone in front when a dubious penalty was awarded but Paul McLaughlin made a super save from the spot kick.
Mal Smith then grabbed his tenth of the season from a corner and Naz Ouldhamlat almost sealed the win when his shot rattled off the under side of the bar but there was to be drama right at the death when Dunmurry headed an equaliser 30 seconds from the end of injury time to take the game into extra time.
Both sides huffed and puffed in extra time with Sam Morrow almost winning it right at the end but his shot went narrowly wide and the game went to penalties.
Paul McLaughlin was the hero as he saved the first and fourth of Dunmurry's penalties to send the Glens into the second round.
The Glens spot kicks were converted by Lewis McGarvey, Mal Smith, Jack Henderson and Jamie Glover
Glentoran U20: 1. Paul McLaughlin 2. Mal Smith 3. Jamie Glover 4. Dan Smith 5. Lewis McGarvey 6. Sean Gallagher 7. Nathan Best 8. Jack Henderson 9. Darryl McKenna 10. Nigel Prentice 11. Ross Tharma Subs: 12. Naz Ouldhamlat (for McKenna 60) 13. Sam Morrow (for Prentice 80) 14. Eoin Lundy (for D. Smith 70)