Glentoran’s 16-game unbeaten run ended after they lost 2-0 to Belfast rivals Cliftonville in this evening’s Sports Direct Premiership tie at Solitude.
Glentoran remain second in the standings and now take a break from league action, with their Clearer Water Irish Cup Quarter-Final tie next Friday night against Bangor.
Ryan Curran and Jack Keaney struck for the Reds, with both goals coming in the second half.
Declan Devine’s men were on top for the first hour of the game but were ultimately punished for not taking their chances.
In some thoroughly miserable conditions, it was Glentoran who enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and it was they who had the first effort on target on 15 minutes.
Danny Amos latched onto a cleared Shane McEleney pass and he let rip from all of 25 yards, however, Lewis Ridd in the Reds’ goal made a comfortable save to deny the Glens.
Amos was then involved once more on the half-hour mark when he fired in a teasing free-kick that whistled just beyond the toe of Kodi Lyons-Foster and the far post.
Moments later Jim Magilton’s men finally had their first effort on goal. A sliced cross from Luke Conlan had Glentoran keeper Daniel Gyollai backpedalling nervously, and the big Hungarian was forced to tip the ball over the bar when it threatened to sneak into the net.
As the visitors began to exert their dominance in the closing exchanges of the opening period they had a shout for a penalty.
Cameron Palmer fell to the ground after close contact from Keaney inside the area, but referee Tim Marshall waved away the appeals for a spot-kick from the away players and fans and play was allowed to continue.
Half-Time: Cliftonville 0 – 0 Glentoran

The second half began in much the same fashion as the first ended with Glentoran on top and they really should have been in front just two minutes after the restart.
Nathaniel Ferris played through Christie Pattisson down the right of the box and his strike was parried by Ridd into the path of Ferris once more. But with a goal seeming inevitable, Harry Wilson flung himself across the striker and pulled off a fantastic block.
Having gone so close, the game was thrown on its head on 65 minutes when the hosts snatched the lead after a period of pressure.
Rory Hale unleashed a 25-yard strike that Gyollai could only block straight into Curran’s path who made no mistake tucking the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
The Glens appeared to lose their composure after the opening goal and just two minutes later a defensive mix-up between Gyollai and Lyons-Foster almost gifted Cliftonville a second but they managed to escape. But that was only temporary as the resulting corner did produce a second.
Keaney rose highest at the back post to meet an in-swinging corner and his header from five yards gave Gyollai no chance.
With time running out for the side from the east, Jonny Russell was granted time and space to line up a shot from distance but Ridd once more was equal to the effort, tipping the ball over the bar as the Reds claimed the win.
Full-Time: Cliftonville 2 – 0 Glentoran