Declan Devine insists departing Glentoran star will 'leave everything out there' in club's European bid

It was announced on Tuesday that Marshall will be returning to Glenavon this summer after three-and-a-half years in East Belfast following his move from League of Ireland outfit Shamrock Rovers.

Marshall’s season has been hampered by injury with the 29-year-old making only eight Premiership appearances while last weekend’s stalemate against Big Two rivals Linfield marked just his second league start of the campaign.

He progressed through the youth ranks at local club Glenavon and won two Irish Cup crowns under Gary Hamilton in 2014 and 2016 before leaving for full-time football in Dublin.

While Devine expressed disappointment at the timing of the Lurgan Blues’ announcement, the ex-Bohemians chief has no doubts about Marshall’s commitment to Glentoran’s cause in the last stretch, starting with Saturday’s trip to Coleraine.

"Rhys has been very open and honest with us that at this stage of his career and life he wants to go back to part time football and Glenavon is a club very close to his heart,” he told the club’s website. “Rhys is a very honest lad and player and has assured us that he’ll leave everything out there until the end of the season trying to get us back into Europe.

"I have no doubt that will be the case and we can rely on Rhys while he’s still here. Having said that about Rhys, I’m disappointed that a Premiership club would arbitrarily make an announcement like that at this stage of the season when there’s so much to play for, but only Glenavon will know why they did that.”

The Glens have kept three consecutive Premiership clean sheets while Coleraine are unbeaten in their last six matches, a run which includes an impressive victory over Linfield and draws against Larne and Cliftonville.

“We’re looking to build on last week’s performance when I thought the application shown by the players was outstanding,” added Devine. “They worked extremely hard both with and without the ball, a big improvement on the cup game.

"It’s good that we’ve had clean sheets in our last 3 league games but now it’s important that from Saturday we’re better in our attacking moments and more creative in getting the ball forward into goalscoring positions.

"We know going to Coleraine is always an extremely difficult challenge as you’d expect with any away game in the top-half after the split, but the surface there is great to play on, and with the players at our disposal we know the task is to keep doing the defensive parts of the job well but also to attack this good Coleraine side and bring more expression and quality in the final third.

"On the player front Seanan Clucas is suspended and Aidy Wilson hasn’t trained after picking up a knock in the Linfield game. Cammy Palmer and Josh Kelly joined in training this week but it’s a bit early for them.

"I’ve still a strong squad to pick from for Saturday and we all know what our priorities are between now and the end of the season – strong, confident performances and results and a place in Europe. That’s what everyone is focused on.”