Irish Cup: Defeat for Strabane Athletic at The Oval

Clearer Water Irish Cup- Round 5

Glentoran....4

Strabane Athletic....0

STRABANE Athletic exited the Irish Cup on Tuesday night when they lost to Premiership side Glentoran FC at the BetMcLean Oval.

Up against the team currently third in the Premiership table, Athletic were always going to have to produce a performance of containment and a lot of energy was expended and bodies thrown on the line to emerge with pride intact.

Niall McGinley and Declan Sharkey combined well early on to produce a shooting chance for Oisin Duffy which went over the bar.

Strabane keeper Shane O'Gara then gathered a shot from Glens’ striker Pat Hoban. Duffy tried another speculative effort before the home team began to gather the momentum that produced the first goal.

A low cross from the left was clinically dispatched by Jordan Stewart after 22 minutes to break the resistance of a dogged Athletic defence.#Strabane responded with a more intensive press and Niall McGinley was one on one after a defensive mistake.

The local man elected to chip the keeper but agonisingly saw his effort just clear the crossbar.

Fate was cruel to the hard working Strabane team when Pat Hoban doubled Glentoran’s lead with the last kick of first half added time.

The second half was tough for Athletic who struggled to gain and retain possession against their illustrious opponents.

Strabane did have a few moments with Sean McCallion cutting in from the left and a few half chances were fashioned but nothing to really trouble the keeper.

To their great credit Mo Mahon’s team were resolute to the the end but were powerless to prevent Hoban and Kamsin Kamara extending the lead for the East Belfast men to 4-0.

Strabane Athletic were left in no doubt how much their sterling efforts were appreciated by a large contingent of travelling fans as they left the pitch to a rousing standing ovation.

When the local team play their first Irish Cup game every year in August, the Holy Grail is to get to Round 5 and secure a tie against a big club.

Mission accomplished for this season and now it’s back to bread and butter issues.

On the horizon are important League fixtures, a North West Senior Cup final but first of all a NI Intermediate Cup tie against Wellington Rec.

Kick off at Melvin Arena is 1.30pm on Saturday.

Speaking after the game Strabane Athletic Committee spokesman, Brendan Devine, thanked the large crowd of travelling fans and offered thanks also to Glentoran FC for their hospitality.

Strabane Athletic: Shane O’Gara; Oisin Porter; Liam McMenamin (capatin) Aaron O’Hagan; Garth Falconer; Blaine Burns; Niall McGinley; Sean McCallion; Oisin Duffy; Declan Sharkey; Conal Crawford.

Subs: Ruairi McElroy; Gary Merritt; Dylan Woods; Cathal McShane; Peter Kirk; Ryan Devine; Bradley Callaghan.