By 
THERE might have been no giant-killing act, not even a whiff of a shock result but the players of Strabane Athletic left the pitch at the BetMcLean Oval having done their town proud on Tuesday evening.
As expected the fifth round of the Irish Cup was an extremely challenging night for the north Tyrone underdogs but the men in blue and white gave their all right up to the final whistle against a classy Glens outfit, who ran out 4-0 winners.
A Pat Hoban double, sandwiched in between Jordan Stewart’s opener and a textbook header by Michael-John-Kamson-Kamara, eased Glentoran into the last-16 where Declan Devine’s outfit will meet Drumaness Mills.
In many respects it was a routine victory for the Premiership heavyweights but for 90 plus minutes Strabane were competitive to a point, playing with discipline and maintaining a shape and structure that the occasion demanded. Credit to the Premier Intermediate League minnows there was never a hint of a collapse against their illustrious opponents.
After the final whistle Athletic’s players and backroom team acknowledged the considerable travelling support which responded with a standing ovation their players had richly deserved.
Glens boss Devine paid tribute to the Strabane challenge by fielding a reasonably strong line-up. Granted there was no Marcus Kane, no Jordan Jenkins, among a few others, but the home starting eleven was brimming with a mix of experience, legs and no shortage of genuine quality.
Before a ball had been kicked there was disappointment for Ben Gallagher, who was injured in the warm up and was duly withdrawn from the Glens line-up to face his hometown club.
Liam Burt started in Gallagher’s place and he was heavily involved as the Premiership full-timers made the early running.
The lively Dylan Connolly created the first shooting opportunity for the hosts by teeing up Stewart but the impish attacker failed to make a clean connection.
Strabane responded with midfieder Niall McGinley blazing over, but, that apart, the first half hour was all Glenroran.
The excellent Danny Amos dashed in from the left and fired inches wide of Shane O’Gara’s far post and shortly afterwards Strabane centre-back Aaron O’Hagan did well to cut out a dangerous Stewart cross.
Pat Hoban then teed up Cameron Palmer but O’Gara dived low to his left to save the midfielder’s crisp drive.
Glentoran were already in the groove and on 20 minutes their early pressure told. Burt sent the ball wide left to marauding fullback Amos, who delivered an inviting low cross which Stewart dispatched first time inside O’Gara’s near post.
Moments later, the Tyrone visitors had a great opportunity to level things when Glens defender Daniel Larmour made a hash of an attempted clearance. That mistake left McGinley one-on-one with Billy Crellin but the midfielder attempted an ambitious chip rather than driving the ball low and hard across the home keeper and the ball dropped the wrong side of the crossbar.
Having survived that let-off, the Glens finished the half strongly. Another vicious cross from Connolly, who had been released on the right by Jack Malone, ricocheted off two Strabane defenders with the ball somehow ending up on the roof of the net.
On another occasion Garth Falconer headed clear with Hoban breathing down his neck.
But the experienced striker did find the net with the final kick of the half. A shot by James Douglas from outside the box ricocheted into his path and the Dubliner was in the right place at the right time to finish first time.
Glentoran picked up where they left off at the beginning of the new half.
The excellent Amos scampered clear on the left to whip over a low cross which Hoban completely missed before Stewart failed to get enough purchase on his header from a teasing free-kick by substitute Joe Thomson.
Connolly then had an effort blocked, in the wake on excellent play by Hoban, with O’Gara using his fingertips to divert a rasping follow-up by Douglas over his crossbar.
Glentoran continued to knock on the door and on 62 minutes O’Gara parried a rasping Stewart shot but the ball broke to Hoban who did the rest.
That third Glens goal confirmed that there was no way back for the Tyrone visitors however Athletic refused to throw in the towel. Strabane remained disciplined in attempting to contain their opponents and as part of that effort introduced Ryan Devine, Bradley Callaghan, Dylan Woods, Peter Kirk and Gary Merritt to maintain the energy levels.
And there was the occasional bright moment, no more than when Sean McCallion waltzed in from left flank to test Crellin will a low shot.
That apart, though, a purring Glens were ruling the roost as Burt evaded a number of tired Athletic tackles to send a rasping shot onto the face of O’Gara’s left upright.
On another occasion Burt should have gone alone instead of trying to square the ball to a team-mate which allowed the Athletic rearguard to clear their lines.
But a fourth goal was looking somewhat inevitable and when the Strabane defence failed to picked up Kamara at a corner kick the big defender powerfully headed an Amos set-piece delivery into the net.
Teams
Glentoran: Crellin; Connolly; Palmer; Larmour; Amos (Rodgers-Duffy 86); Kamara; Malone (Thomson 46); Douglas; Stewart (Singleton 65); Burt (McCann 86); Hoban (Weatherup 79).
Subs not used: Mills.
Strabane Athletic: O’Gara; Falconer; O’Hagan; McMenamin (Devine 83); Burns (Callaghan 54); Crawford; McGinley (Merritt 54); Porter; McCallion (Kirk 75); Sharkey (Woods 54); Duffy.
Subs not used: McElroy; McShane.
Referee: Tim Marshall (Irvinestown)
