Glentoran manager Declan Devine insists “everybody is emptying the tank to try and bring success” back to The Oval – and predicts “it shouldn't be too long” if his talented squad continue to build on this season’s progress.

The East Belfast outfit enter the Premiership’s final weekend with a chance of ending their 17-year wait for Gibson Cup glory, but will require a favour from Dungannon Swifts at leaders Larne if that dream is to become reality.

Devine’s men travel to Coleraine, who are also chasing a maiden title since 1974 in Ruaidhri Higgins’ first full season at The Showgrounds.

Glentoran knew securing victory over Larne last Friday would have sent them into pole position ahead of a potentially dramatic finale to another thrilling Irish League campaign, but they couldn't find a way through the Inver Reds’ resolute defence.

placeholder image — Glentoran manager Declan Devine. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

It means Larne require only a point at home to Dungannon, who will likely have one eye on next weekend’s Irish Cup final, as they look to seal a third league title across the past four seasons.

The Glens have not only fallen behind in the title race, but also slipped to third in a battle to secure an automatic return to European football.

Glentoran haven’t finished above third since last celebrating league title success in 2009 but are undoubtedly moving in the right direction under Devine – they’ve already picked up 16 more points, six more wins and scored 22 more goals than last term with one match remaining.

Devine has been backed in the transfer market with the likes of Pat Hoban, Aaron McEneff and Josh Daniels arriving throughout this season, and he feels Glentoran are making crucial strides towards their main objectives.

"Everybody's emptying the tank to try and bring success back here, and if we keep going in the manner we're going, it shouldn't be too long,” he said. “We go in to the last game of the season needing a snooker.

"We're behind the black ball and we need to go and pull a snooker out. Hopefully we go and do our side of the bargain and see where it takes us.

"The players have emptied the tank over the course of the last 10 months and it shows you how far we've come that we're walking away (from the Larne game) disappointed, but at the same time, there's no white flag, there's no way I would let that happen.

"We've got to make sure that from our side of things we approach the game in the way that we've approached every game this year, go and try and win it.

"I've never given up a fight in my life, and the players certainly won’t. We'll go down there and give everything of ourselves, there's no doubt about it.

"It's a great game to be involved in. When there's a chance, you have to look forward, there's nobody looking back.

"We go to the last game, we have to hold up our side of the bargain. We go to the last game with a really honest bunch of players, a real quality bunch of players."