Football’s tendency for turning the unfathomable into reality will always be one of its most endearing traits.
At that, though, if you were predicting Glentoran to hit Linfield with hurricane-force winds and pound on their door to the point where four goals felt flattering for the Blues to ship, you’d be looked at now as the heir to Nostradamus’ throne.
It proved one of the most one-sided match-ups between these capital rivals in the modern history of the fixture – and the Glens, who’ve been criticised repeatedly this term for a lack of invention, showed it in abundance to sink David Healy’s men.
The Oval is rapturous on nights like that. The first steps to redemption for Warren Feeney, or simply a flash in the pan?
Time will tell but, after the week he had, there are renewed expectations on Mersey Street.
Firstly, they booked their spot in the County Antrim Shield Final with a rampant 4-0 victory at 10-man Carrick Rangers, a team who had twice conquered them before in league play. Going into Friday night, Linfield had done the same – a 2-0 triumph at Windsor Park in the top-tier followed by a 2-1 success as the away team in the BetMcLean Cup – but a three-peat that’d have left Glentoran humiliated did not come to fruition.
Three minutes in and the hosts were on the board through Shay McCartan – he’d scored only one open-play goal all season before hitting the target at Taylors Avenue three days earlier – while 10 minutes hadn’t even passed when Daire O’Connor doubled the advantage.
Over 137 years of existence, Glentoran have seen greats grace the pitch many a time, though few in recent times had produced so majestic a display in so grand a fixture as Niall McGinn’s showcase here.
His devilish finish for the third just before the half was the least he deserved, and when O’Connor notched up a stylish fourth in the second period, that consolidated the points and brought the bragging rights to east Belfast ahead of this month’s Boxing Day bash at Windsor Park – a fixture that’s firmly expected to top the 10,000 attendance marker and, in the wake of Friday’s result, boost a Glentoran contingent inside the National Stadium where a potential cut to the allocation had tentatively been discussed but ultimately discarded.
This thrashing came despite teenagers Aaron Wightman and Johnny Russell lining out as fullbacks, James Singleton slotting into the centre of defence and Paddy McClean featuring as the Glens’ solitary recognised senior centre-back. No Luke McCullough, no Aidan Wilson… seemingly no problem given how quiet goalkeeper Aaron McCarey was in the night’s goings-on.
After such a display, you’d expect more questions to be asked of the away boss rather than the home supremo, but not so.
Healy will bounce back. Linfield will show their teeth.
Former Blues chief Feeney, on the other hand, still has a point to prove. He has to show that the upward trajectory is, well, exactly that.
Glentoran needed a lift and they’ve got one. It’s not for want of talent, either – even under-strength, McGinn and McCartan are senior Northern Ireland internationals, while Fuad Sule is a reigning Premiership champion. O’Connor is the kind of player who sweeps you off your feet; he’ll show you a clean pair of heels with unerring glee.
Russell, branded a ‘future captain’ of Glentoran by his manager, and highly coveted Wightman are products of a full-time Academy. Factor in Bobby Burns, Jay Donnelly, Seanan Clucas, Marcus Kane, Rhys Marshall – all injury absentees – and this, on paper, is a title-challenging panel.
The Glens have had too many false dawns during the Ali Pour reign. If they get their shoulder to the wheel and keep to this high standard, they can make sure one of them proves true.
Featured image from Glentoran FC Social Media.
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