Setanta Cup / Glentoran 1-0 Derry City: Glentoran are back in contention for a Setanta Cup semi-final after a surprise win over Derry City at the Oval last night and set up an intriguing showdown with Shelbourne at the Oval in two weeks' time.
Derry were forced to see out the second half with 10 men after Sean Hargan was dismissed just before the interval for a second bookable offence. By then Derry were trailing to Jamie Reed's early goal.
All-action Glentoran simply refused to allow the visitors settle and were unlucky not to take the lead in the second minute when Darren Lockhart's strong effort beat City goalkeeper David Forde and whistled inches wide.
Just six minutes later Glentoran were in front. Derry man Shaun Holmes' corner was sent back across goal by Mark Glendinning and, all alone at the foot of the post was Reed, who nodded the ball past Forde.
Rattled Derry almost conceded a second two minutes later but again Lockhart was denied by brave goalkeeping.
Glentoran's eagerness was not to Derry's liking and before long referee Mark Courtney was pulling players apart. Hargan earned his first booked along with Glendinning following a heated scuffle. The official quelled matters before the interval when again Hargan was involved, the defender appearing to stamp on Lockhart in the 43rd minute.
Derry had ample opportunities to level but a combination of over-indulgence and solid defending frustrated last season's Eircom League runners-up. Pat McCourt, taking on one player too many after a dazzling run into the goalmouth, was stopped by Phillip Simpson's perfectly-timed tackle.
Mark Farren thought he had scored in the 20th minute but had his angled shot cleared of the line by Phillip Simpson, despite the defender getting tangled up in his feet. And, when the former Shamrock Rovers player McCourt released Farren into the box before the interval, goalkeeper Elliot Morris threw himself in the line of his point-blank shot.
Under growing pressure, Stephen Kenny opted to withdraw Pat McCourt and Ruardhi Higgins and deploy three defenders - the move giving Derry added strength in attack.
Despite the loss of Hargan the visitors dominated the second half. Substitute Ciaran Martyn had an effort save by Elliot and the Glentoran goalkeeper also did well to gather a testing Kevin Deery free-kick.
In a rare second-half assault on Forde's goal, Chris Morgan had his 84th-minute strike turned away by the goalkeeper.
GLENTORAN: Morris; Nixon, Glendinning, Ward, Simpson, McDonagh, Melaugh, Lockhart, Holmes, Morgan, Reed (Halliday, 76).
DERRY CITY: Forde; McCallion, Hargan, Hutton, Higgins (Martyn 63 mins), Beckett, Oman, Molloy, Farren, McCourt (Deery, 63 mins), Cash (Brennan, half-time).
Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon).
