Glentoran assistant manager Paddy McCourt is confident Conor McMenamin will “get better as the season goes on” – and has predicted he will be a “big player” for The Oval outfit.

McMenamin made a stunning Glens return from Coleraine on deadline day and was immediately drafted into the starting line-up for Friday’s 2-1 Premiership defeat to reigning champions Larne.

It marked a first Irish League start for the Northern Ireland international since April 2023 after spending three years in Scotland with St Mirren – he won the League Cup crown at the Buddies last season.

McMenamin lit up Northern Ireland’s top-flight during his last stint at Glentoran, scoring 22 goals in 36 league appearances during the 2021/22 campaign and a further 11 the following season to earn his move across the water.

placeholder image — Glentoran's Conor McMenamin. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

The 31-year-old wasn’t able to make an impact at Inver Park on Friday evening with Larne performing impressively, but McCourt has full faith that McMenamin will prove to be a big signing for the East Belfast club.

"Conor will get better as it goes,” said McCourt. “It was probably the first 90 minutes (he has played) in a long time, he's only had bits and pieces so far this season.

"It (the move) came obviously in the last couple of days of the transfer window but of course we're glad to have him in.

"Listen, Conor will get better as the season goes on. The more games we get into him, the more sharpness he gets and fitness, hopefully he can be a big player for us.

"It was good to get Jordan Stewart back too.

"Hopefully now with eight days to the next game after playing three in six, we'll get a good bit of training done on the training pitch and try and get some players back out of the treatment room.”