16th January 2010
IRISH CUP 5TH ROUND
GLENTORAN 5 - 0 OMAGH UNITED
In the end it was a comfortable and deserved win for the Glens but we were made to work in this Irish Cup fifth round tie. As we expected Omagh United came to defend and frustrate us for aslong as possible and fair play they stuck to the game plan and it worked for almost an hour and ten minutes. The Omagh United keeper was saving shots with his left hand, his right hand, his feet, I think he saved a few with his arse aswell (it felt that way). It was a proper cup tie with the under dogs defending for their lives and throwing everything infront of the ball to stop us from scoring. Burrows (68, 87, 90)
Nixon (72)
Fordyce (79)
Nixon (72)
Fordyce (79)
As expected the Glens put out the first XI in an attempt to gain match fitness and sharpness after the few weeks of absurd weather. From the start it was all one way traffic with Gillespie, Ward and Fordyce all missing chances in the opening ten minutes. Unfortunately Shane McCabe only lasted twelve minutes when he fell awkwardly and twisted his ankle (the same ankle he had twisted on astro turf over Christmas). Thankfully it doesn't look serious. Clarke came on to replace Shane. On 15 minutes the Glenmen saw the first of what was to come. Gary Hamilton getting on the end of a Colin Nixon cross, it was heading for the top corner but Antzak made the save. A minute later Gary again was in the action, this time with a free kick on the edge of the box. It curled but hit the post. Even at this stage I wondered if it was going to be one of those days when we do everything but won't hit the onion bag. Before the keeper could take a breather the Glens combined well through Fordyce and Gillespie before Gillespie crossed for Hamilton to head over the bar. Sixty seconds again and the keeper, who was by far the MOTM until Matty stole the limelight, was called into action once again when Gillespie drilled a shot from the edge of the box that won the Glens a corner. Had we been playing the '3 corners gets a penalty' rule we might have scored. With the traffic all one way Hamilton was through on goal with the keeper off his line but the keeper but his body infront of the ball yet again. A couple minutes later Gary Hamilton, like everybody else, couldn't hit the back of the net for love or money when his header went wide. There was no question what direction the ball was going but the frustration on the terraces and stand was starting to be heard. On the half hour mark the keeper saved a Dean Fitzgerald drive but had to gather the ball at the second attempt. Another Hamilton free kick tests the keeper who scrambles the ball away from goal. A minute later Leeper had his attempt cleared off the line and cleared before Hamilton swung the ball in for Fitzgerald to head over. Just before the break Nixon is the next Glenman to head wide before Gillespie fires another shot over the bar. Finally, Nixon broke the deadlock and just as we cheered with relief the ref disallowed the goal for a push. I couldn't see anything wrong with it but obviously the underdogs get the rub of the green in cup matches.
The opening of the second half saw the first half subsitute Richard Clarke go close twice with his efforts hitting Halliday and being saved for a corner respectively. Just before the eventual match winner entered the arena, Halliday nearly poked the ball home but the keeper pulled off another save. He probably made more saves in an hour at The Oval than he's had to make in his whole Omagh United career. Burrows came on for Halliday with around half an hour left. Black tested the keeper with a free kick and won another corner. Two minutes later Sean Ward hit a fantastic shot that on any other day would have burst the net but the keeper was inspired and pulled of arguably the save of the season with a one handed save to turn it behind for yet another corner. With the Glens pushing and pushing and hitting a brick wall, otherwise known as Antzak, everybody was starting to wonder could there be a real upset? Them thoughts continued when Gary, on his left foot, hit the ball over the ball from 10 yards out. Thankfully though, our luck was going to change and the floodgates were to open. Matty Burrows tapped in at the backpost following a Gillespie corner. 1-0. Everybody knew that was going to be enough but from our point of view we wanted to make the scoreline look respectable. We didn't have to wait long for number two and Nixon scored another head, this time it counted. We could relax now. With 15 minutes left McDonald threw on Waterworth in place of Fitzgerald. Right after that Burrows, whose first instict is to shoot on sight, was starting to cause the keeper real problems. Burrows was in the thick of it again a couple minutes later but he too fired over the bar. Ten minutes after the opener we had number three. Fordyce getting on the end of a ball across the box to fire home. It's scary how many we could have had if the scoring had begun alot earlier. Five minutes before full time we had number four but it ruled for offside. Hamilton hit the post for his second time of the match for it to rebound to Andy who tapped in. Sixty seconds later and still the Glens wanted another, and the keeper was not going to get a break. Gillespie's chipped shot was somehow clawed away by Antzak who was still inspired in his one man mission to keep the scoreline down. Not too worry, Matty was to the rescue again with a brilliant goal. The pick of the five goals. With the outside of the boot from edge of the box he looped the ball over the keeper and into the corner of the net. 4-0. Just when we thought four was our lot, Burrows rounded of a great day for him and the final goal for the day with number five with a low shot that beat the tired Antzak at his near post.
In the end 5-0 was no embarrasment for Omagh United, as they probably arrived expecting double figures but we all know cup football isn't like that and for 70 minutes it looked as if they might, just might, produce one of the biggest Irish Cup shocks of all time. Omagh left the pitch to a standing ovation, even big 'Woy' was applauded - that doesn't happen very often. Fair play to them and I don't think it'll be the last time we see them.
NDGSC Man of the match - Matty Burrows
James Taylor, Nixon, Ward, Leeman, Black, Gillespie, Fitzgerald (Waterworth 74), McCabe (Clarke 12), Fordyce, Halliday (Burrows 61), Hamilton
Subs not used: Morris, Johnny Taylor
Subs not used: Morris, Johnny Taylor