It was a game that will not live long in the memory, but you just couldn’t wipe the smile of the face of Swifts boss Rodney McAree at the finish
It was another night of agony for Declan Devine’s Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval. Unfortunate, midfielder James Singleton deflected the ball into his own net to gift Dungannon Swifts three crucial points in front of disgruntled home fans.
But it got worse for Devine’s men because they had defender Johnny Russell dismissed 12 minutes from time for a horrible challenge on Steven Scott.
The Northern Ireland Under-21 international was only only the pitch for six minutes after replacing Danny Amos.
“It was a very poor performance from start to finish,” admitted Glens boss Declan Devine afterwards. “We didn’t play with any real courage on the ball, too slow, everything was back.
“We didn’t show enough character to take the game to them, it was a poor performance. We had no control, no style of play. I’m so frustrated.”
It was a game that will not live long in the memory, but you just couldn’t wipe the smile of the face of Swifts boss Rodney McAree at the finish.
Following the early bout of sparring, it was the Swifts who had the first sniff at goal.
Former Glens striker Junior Uzokwe was fouled by Ciaran Coll wide on the right and, when James Knowles whipped in the free kick, Cahal McGinty got up above everyone, but his header failed to trouble goalkeeper Andrew Mills.
Knowles then had another opportunity from a similar distance, again when Coll hauled down Junior, but this time his free kick looped into the grateful hands of the shot-stopper.
Glentoran at last gave their fans something to get excited about on 20 minutes when former Derry City striker Pat Hoban showed great control before releasing Jordan Jenkins, but he totally fluffed his lines and his shot drifted aimlessly wide.
Declan Devine had to go back to the drawing board when defender Ryan Cooney went down injured, which duly forced him off. He was replaced by Josh Kelly.
Junior was causing most of the problems for Glentoran. He was again abruptly stopped by James Singleton this time, giving Knowles the chance to try his luck from 30-yards, but he could only blast his effort into the defensive wall.
Chances were few and far between. Glentoran defender Shane McEleney, attempted to add a bit of spice to the attack by surging forward for a Danny Amos free kick, but when ball did eventually fall to the ex-Derry City man, he could only balloon his shot high and wide.
Then, seconds before the whistle, Coll fizzed in a teasing cross from the right that deceived goalkeeper Declan Dunne, but Liam Burt was unable to get a telling touch.
Amos was only inches away from breaking the deadlock for the home team nine minutes after the restart. Danny Wallace was put under pressure by Hoban and when the defender picked up the clearance, his thundering drive flashed just over the crossbar.
And, they went close again just after the hour. Amos’s corner was almost flicked into his own net by Tiernan Kelly, only for Dunne to get down and somehow keep the ball out of the net.
But it was the Swifts who silenced the home crowd 22 minutes from time.
Knowles fired in a corner kick from the left, into a posse of bodies with the ball coming off the unfortunate Singleton before trickling into the bottom corner.
Glentoran responded with Hoban heading over from point blank range before Sean McAllister broke at the other end only to see his thundering drive pawed over the top by Mills.
But things got worse for the Glens when Russell was dismissed for chopping down Steven Scott – only six minutes after replacing Amos.
