Glentoran manager Declan Devine says his squad can’t let Sunday’s “really sore” BetMcLean Cup final defeat to Cliftonville define their season and feels the experience will stand them in good stead in the long run.

Joe Gormley’s extra-time strike ensured the Reds savoured a second Windsor Park triumph in the past 12 months, following up their Irish Cup victory with a seventh League Cup crown.

This marked Devine’s second final since being named permanent Glens boss towards the end of last season, celebrating success in the Co Antrim Shield in January as The Oval outfit ended a near five-year wait for silverware. But he felt his side lacked a killer instinct after failing to convert their chances in front of a record crowd at the National Stadium.

"I'm gutted, really gutted,” said Devine. “When you get to finals it's all about winning.

placeholder image — Glentoran manager Declan Devine. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

"I thought there was very little between the two teams...Cliftonville are going to have good possession of the ball and overload you in certain areas.

"The natural feeling coming off the pitch was that the two goalkeepers were the two most instrumental players on the pitch.

"For us, we just didn't take our chances and they didn't take theirs up until Joe 'The Goal' came on the pitch.

"It's typical Joe movement from back post to front post and before that there was a defining moment when we had to make a substitution.

"Shane (McEleney) did really well in the game and got a bit of an injury so had to come off. You bring on a sub really quickly and we just got caught napping.

"We were very resilient to keep going to the end, went a bit more direct in extra-time and just a bit of composure in the box we might have been able to bring that to penalties.

"It was a very tight game, exciting game, but we just lacked that killer instinct. We had one or two good chances, big Dan (Gyollai) makes a great save - both teams left it out there and we can't have any complaints in terms of effort, commitment and desire.

"Just that wee bit of finesse was missing."

The Glens don’t have much time to recover from disappointment as they are back in league action against Glenavon on Wednesday evening – the first of four final pre-split league fixtures in their bid to secure European football for next term.

"It really did (feeling of first goal wins),” added Devine. “My lads didn't give up, they kept going and the chance at the end epitomises that.

"It's a really sore one for us. We hadn't been here in so long and to leave empty-handed is sore and painful, but we have to use that as motivation for the last nine games of the season to end it on a positive.

"This can't define us today.

"It was high-level effort from the players. We lost some players through injuries, some are coming back from injury and we'd six or seven really important players sitting in the stand.

"We have to use it as a learning curve. I've won and lost cup finals in the past, but it's how quickly we can park the bus and move on to Wednesday night. I'm extremely proud of my players.

"A lot of them haven't played in a final of this magnitude with that level of support. When you lose by the odd goal having had chances yourself, it's a sore one to take."