With the Glentoran first team matters concluded for the season the focus turned to the Seconds and their George Wilson Cup campaign. After progressing from a group that contained Ards, Warrenpoint Town and Crusaders Spike Hill's young guns were handed a home tie to reserve league runners-up Linfield.
Played in front of a healthy crowd at the Oval, the Glens' side featured a number of players with varying amounts of first team experience such as Elliott Morris, John McGuigan, Mattie Kerr, Danny McKee and Willie Garrett. After a dull opening, McKee almost opened the scoring as he was inches away from latching on to Kerr's driven pass after 15 minutes though Linfield goalkeeper Gareth Deane gathered easily. Two minutes later and the home side, looking to retain the cup that they last won two years back, again could've and probably should've gone in front as lovely link-up play between McGuigan, Gordon and Mark Hillen left the latter with a one-on-one opportunity in which Deane again came out on top.
With 20 minutes gone it was Linfield's turn to chance their arm as Jonny Frazer showed an impressive turn of pace down the right wing and his cross fell to Conor McMenamin though the big centre forward blazed over. Soon after and Deane was again involved as Gordon met McGuigan's corner and Hillen's acrobatic overhead kick was repelled by the Blues' shot-stopper, who showed excellent reactions to stop such a powerful close-range effort. The same player was again bettered by the Linfield 'keeper as his low, fizzing shot was pushed around Deane's right-hand post.
Glentoran had been the better side and with just under half an hour played they deservedly went in front. Lee Chapman whipped a ball into the area and Marty Bradley inadvertently handled to give John McGuigan the chance from 12-yards to break the deadlock, which the midfielder did with power and accuracy as Deane could only flap at his arrow-straight effort. It was all Glentoran from here until half-time and on 37 McKee was thwarted by an excellent block by Callum Byers, before the Glens' forward saw his angled effort beaten away by Deane two minutes later.
The first half was a closely-fought though gripping contest, but the second period was very low-key as a midfield battle between the two sides effectively cancelled each other out. On 52 minutes, Linfield's TJ Murray saw his goal-bound effort blocked by Colly Smith before the Glens had a second goal ruled out for offside. McKee was set free down the wing and found Hillen in the box with the big number 10 volleying expertly home off the underside of the bar but the linesman correctly flagged McKee offside.
On 67 minutes Hillen and McKee, who were both thorns in the Linfield defence throughout, combined with the latter blasting his shot miles over after a great burst of pace from his strike partner had created the opportunity, though it almost didn't matter three minutes later as McKee counter-attacked after Chris Begley's header was saved by Morris. The former 1st Bangor forward's strike was again saved by an inspired Deane, and Steven Gordon's follow up from 20 yards was inches away from spectacularily finding the top corner.
The match rather petered out after that with a young Linfield side defeated by a fairly experienced east Belfast outfit. Congratulations to Spike Hill, his backroom staff and of course the players on achieving this brilliant success and best of luck in the final, details of which will be posted on here in the coming days.
Glentoran II: E. Morris - R. Stewart, W. Garrett, C. Smith, S. McDermott - L. Chapman, M. Kerr, S. Gordon, J. McGuigan - D. McKee, M. Hillen.
Subs: R. Mahood for S. Gordon (76), S. Boyd for J. McGuigan (84) & D. Chisanga for D. McKee (90+2).
Subs Not Used: G. Watson, K. Mackie.