Tuesday 11
August 7.30pm Kick off at The Oval
Glentoran 4 v Ballymoney United 0
Ballymoney United bowed out of the Co.Antrim Shield at The Oval to a much changed Glentoran side from the team which beat Lisburn
Distillery in the opening league win of the season three days
earlier.
Nevertheless the team that lined up in all white provided a tough challenge for the Championship side.
Ballymoney handed a debut to new signing George Young from Ballymena
United. The United squad was still suffering from suspensions and
injuries and Joe McCall once again included younger squad players.
The game started quietly, with a blow to the Glens as Sean Ward limped off with an apparent foot injury after only 12 minutes.
Young Kyle Buckley replaced the more experienced Ward, moving to the left-back position, while Willie McBurnie and Craig Harris adjusted to suit.
No sooner had the change been made for the Glens when Ballymoney suffered the same fate when captain Gareth Hill went off with a nasty cut on his head.
As the half progressed Ballymoney had some good periods of possession and had a chance when Gareth McLaughlin found space on the left of the box,
he jinked past a defender only for him to drag his shot past the far post.
Andy Waterworth came closest in the opening half hour just inches from a Jimmy Callacher cross, but was unable to finish. As the half came to an end the Ballymoney defence failed to clear a
Hill cross and when Andy Hall found himself on his back in the six yard box he must have thought his chance had passed but the ball ricochet into his path and he was able to was the force the ball over the line for 1-0
There were no half time substitutions for either team. Glentoran now buoyed by the goal started the second half brightly and effectively finished of the game when Jason Hill extended the Glentoran lead after 50 minutes after his initial shot was blocked but not controlled by United goalkeeper Simon Smyth. Hill pounced on the rebound to claim his first goal of the new season.
Just six minutes later Waterworth again failed to push the ball over the line following a well worked move from McGovern and Hall on the right side. McGovern pushed forward from the right-back position to meet Hall's perfectly placed through ball. McGovern's perfect cross was just inches from the head of Waterworth who certainly would have scored if he had made any type of contact.
Within seconds of this great goalscoring opportunity it was Man of the Match Jason Hill again who showed on the left wing to take the ball past the last defender and leave the goalkeeper with no chance. Hill's shot was taken like a true predator as he had no hesitations in firing home to make it 3-0.
Just past the hour mark and it was Waterworth's turn to finally get the goal that had eluded him for much of the game. His perfectly placed lobbed header was more than enough to beat Smyth in the Ballymoney goals and round off the scoring before being substituted for Neale McLarnon.
As the game came to a close Matty Burrows came closest for the Glens managing to take the ball past the goalkeeper but his powerful shot struck the crossbar.
Ballymoney’s only real chance in the second half came when substitute Hugh Og Boyle found space on the left wing and with few options available unleashed a shot from the edge of the box which James Taylor pushed over the bar for a corner.
Garant Gardiner was substituted late in the game for first team debutant Jarlaith Brannigan, but there were no more goals on the cards as the Glens sealed their position in the County Antrim Shield Second Round.
MATCH
HIGHLIGHTS ON FORZA T.V (GLENTORAN'S OFFICIAL T.V CHANNEL)>
10
YELLOW CARDS 
RED CARDS 
GOALS
SCORED
