The Oval, Belfast

Glentoran 0-2 Portadown

Yes, this pic is intended to be a
pastiche of The Office (US)

16th November 2024

After completing a visit to all Scottish Football League grounds a few years ago, and finishing the 92 of English and Welsh ones last season (2023/24), I pondered what to do next.  "Why, of course, it has to be Northern Ireland", suggested an acquaintance.  Hmmnn, I am not to sure about that.  That Stena Ferry is not cheap.

Nevertheless, when in Belfast ticking off the SSE ice hockey venue, I took the opportunity to visit Glentoran's iconic Oval ground.  Iconic, not just because of the huge bowl, and towering main stand.  But because this was the ground where in season 1967/68 Glentoran hosted Benfica - Eusebio, and all - in the first round of the European Cup.  

And held the Portugese champions, who were on their way to a date with Manchester United in that season's final - to a 1-1 draw in front of almost 25,000 fans.  The place must have been bouncin' that evening.  The return leg in Lisbon finished goalless, and the Irish champions were eliminated on away goals.

Glentoran have been regulars in European competition since the 1960s, but have generally found aggregate wins hard to come by.  Their longest cup run came in the 1973/74 edition of the sadly missed European Cup Winners' Cup, where The Glens eliminated Romanian then Norwegian opposition, before coming a cropper at the hands of Borussia Mönchengladbach.  

The club's most recent European scalp was that of the Faroese lot HB Torshavn in season 2020/21.

Once regular Irish League Champions; the club's Wiki page lists 23 previous successes, but none have come along since 2008/9.  Indeed, Glentoran have never really been close since; a few third placed finishes the best they have achieved in recent years.

Approach to The Oval from Parkgate Drive.

Glentoran v Portadown (November 2024)

I noted, even this early in the season, an eight point gap had opened between Glentoran and leaders Linfield.  And this differential would be stretched to eleven points after this match, as Glentoran were left to rue an inability to turn possession into goals.  

The visitors with the minority of possession seemed able to carve out opportunities with ease, and really should have been ahead at the break, as both Josh Ukek and Eamon Fyfe each squandered fine chances.  What few opportunities the homesters did create fell to the head of Number 9 Jay Donnelly, but his ineffectual headers either drifted wide or plopped into the welcoming arms of Portadown 'keeper Aaron McCarey.  Donnelly fared little better with the ball at his feet, and his weak attempt just prior to half-time was hoofed off the line by Port defender  Baris Altintop.

After the break, Portadown's Ahu Obhakhan had a gilt-edged opportunity to open the scoring but, put clean through, he lofted his attempt over the crossbar.

Just as it was beginning to feel like the match was going to finish goalless, the visitors received a (very) early Christmas pressie from match referee Chris Morrison, in the shape of a decidedly ropey looking penalty award.  

Having robbed a Glens midfielder of the ball in midfield, Shay McCartan scampered forward into the home penalty box,  He was running well away from goal, when he went down; the referee deciding he had been clipped by Fuad Sule.  

McCartan theatrically throwing his arms out as he fell, convinced me this was a blatant dive, but Mr. Morrison thought otherwise.  The self same player got up, dusted himself down and put away the penalty kick, to general ire and derision from the home fans around me.  

Looking back at the footage after the match, it is not definitively clear whether or not there was contact.  But one could argue Sule had been naïve in the extreme to get himself so close behind McCartan, when all that was required was some gentle further ushering towards the corner flag.

Portadown's second arrived with quite literally the last kick of the ball, again after a Glens player had lost the ball in a dangerous area.  Ryan MAYSE looked offside to me when he received the ball to score - but, hey, what do I know? 
  

Glentoran v Portadown (November 2024)

Panorama of The Oval, Belfast.

"The Game Above All"

That contentious penalty.

The referee blew for time-up whilst the Portadown players were still
celebrating their second goal.