Glentoran lift Irish Cup after win over Ballymena

Glentoran celebrate with the Irish Cup after their win over Ballymena in the final at Windsor Park.
Glentoran celebrate with the Irish Cup after their win over Ballymena in the final at Windsor Park. Credit: Pacemaker

  • Glentoran 2 - 1 Ballymena

Glentoran have won the Irish Cup in dramatic fashion, with a goal deep into extra time against Ballymena United.

Just 250 fans from each team were allowed into Windsor Park in Belfast for Friday night’s big game.

Elsewhere, fans gathered to watch on television – or in the case of the Sky Blues’ supporters, on a big screen erected in a car park at their home ground.

Ballymena United fans gather to watch the game while adhering to social distancing. Credit: Pacemaker

In the first half, it fell to Glentoran to draw first blood.

Paul O’Neill curled the ball into the bottom left corner in the 22nd minute, just beyond the reach of Ballymena goalie Ross Glendinning, to make it 1-0.

Ballymena won’t have been happy not to capitalise on arguably having had the better of the action, but they had to wait until the second half to level things up.

Cathair Friel scores the equaliser for Ballymena against Glentoran. Credit: Pacemaker

Just minutes after the break though, Cathair Friel bagged the equaliser – amid protests from Glentoran goalie Elliott Morris, who felt he had been fouled during the corner that led to the goal.

Despite the sides’ efforts to break the subsequent stalemate, full-time came and went without a decider and proceedings moved into overtime.

Both teams had to tough it out through extra time and penalty shootouts to reach the final and it seemed this encounter was going to go the same way.

Robbie McDaid celebrates scoring what turns out to be the game-winning goal for Glentoran. Credit: Presseye

But Robbie McDaid tucked in a goal after 115 minutes of action to send his Glens teammates into raptures and make Ballymena hearts’ sink.

David Jeffrey’s men simply could not find a way to claw back another equaliser and Mick McDermott ultimately saw his side victorious.

While Ballymena haven’t won the Irish Cup since 1989, Friday night’s triumph marks a first trophy for Glentoran in five years as they now head back to European football as a result.