Two second half strikes from Robbie McDaid secured 3 points for Glentoran at Milltown this afternoon in the Danske Bank Premiership.
Manager, Mick McDermott began this one with Rhys Marshall, Luke McCullough, Paddy McClean and skipper, Marcus Kane in front of Dayle Coleing with Gael Bigirimana, Ciaran O'Connor and Hrvoje Plum in midfield. In attack it was Jay Donnelly, Conor McMenamin and Robbie McDaid.
The first oppotunity of the match fell to the home side when a poor defensive clearance fell to Ryan Swan but he fired over the crossbar when well placed. Glentoran's first significant attack came 10 minutes into the game. Hrvoje Plum set Conor McMenamin away on the right. He beat a couple of defenders and, having got to the by-line, cut the ball back for Jay Donnelly who was unlucky to see his shot deflected behind for a corner. McMenamin swung the corner into the box and Donnelly got his head on the ball but directed it wide of the target. On the quarter hour mark, Ciaran O'Connor made space for himself on the edge of the Warrenpoint Town box but then dragged his shot wide of the post.
On 20 minutes former Glentoran midfielder, Fra McCaffrey swung a dangerous free kick into the danger area. The ball broke for Brandon Doyle but Gael Bigirimana got in an excellent block to deny the home side. 6 minutes from the break the Glens almost went in front. Marcus Kane crossed from the left and found Robbie McDaid. Robbie met the ball well but his powerful header produced an excellent save from Andrew Coleman. Just before the interval Luke McCullough drove into the opposition half and found Hrvoje Plum on the edge of the box. Plum struck the ball well but his shot went narrowly past the upright.
Halftime: Warrenpoint Town 0-0 Glentoran
On 54 minutes a Glentoran free kick was cleared from the edge of the opposition's box and Warrenpoint Town counter attacked however they were stopped on the edge of the penalty area by another great block from the excellent Bigirimana. On 58 minutes Jake O'Connor tried hi luck from around 20 yards out but Glens' keeper, Dayle Coleing was right behind it and made a comfortable save. Glentoran then went straight down the other end and took the lead, McDaid netting his 11th goal of the season. Conor McMenamin found Jay Donnelly who in turn set Robbie McDaid clear. McDaid carried the ball into the area before firing a powerful shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net. It was an excellent finish and a goal which involved all 3 strikers in the build up.
Just over a minute later it was almost 2-nil. Robbie McDaid was again involved, his ball coming off a defender and falling nicely for Jay Donnelly. Jay struck it sweetly but Coleman produced an excellent stop, turning the ball behind for a corner. Glentoran were on top at this stage and pushed forward looking for the second goal which would surely seal the 3 points. On 64 minutes Marcus Kane played substitute Rory Donnelly away on the left. Rory went for goal from a tight angle but Coleman had it well covered. Warrenpoint Town did have a couple of chances to draw level. A Fra McCaffrey free kick was blocked by the Glens defensive wall and then substitute Adam Carroll brought a save out of Dayle Coleing.
With 10 minutes remaining Glentoran scored the vital second goal. Jay Donnelly did really well to close down Luke Gallagher in the centre circle and was unlucky to see the ball fall to Daniel Wallace who played it back to Andrew Coleman. The keeper, who had denied McDaid with a superb stop in the first half, fired the ball straight to the Gentoran striker about 25 yards from goal. Robbie McDaid controlled the ball and drove into the box before calmly slotting it past the hapless Coleman and intothe corner of the net. A couple of minutes later a Conor McMenamin pass gave McDaid the chance of a hattrick but Coleman denied him, turning the ball behind for a corner.
There were further chances for both Rory Donnelly and Conor McMenamin, Rory being the vitim of a cruel bobble just as he struck his shot and Conor seeing his effort on goal blocked and then cleared. Following the disappointing performance and result last Tuesady evening, this was exactly the response Mick McDermott was looking for. Next up we travel to Glenavon on Tuesday evening.
Photographs by PACEMAKER
Glentoran: Coleing, Marshall, Kane (c), McCullough, McClean, Bigirimana, O'Connor (R. Donnelly 57), Plum (Gallagher 74), J. Donnelly (Clucas 83), McMenamin & McDaid
