Jay Donnelly and Danny Amos help Glentoran get back to winning ways with Loughgall triumph
Glentoran bounced back from consecutive Premiership defeats by beating Loughgall 2-0 at The Oval thanks to goals from Jay Donnelly and Danny Amos.
The hosts made a perfect start as Donnelly, recalled for his first Premiership start in almost a month, struck home just a second league goal of 2024 in the fifth minute, tapping in from close range after being set up by strike partner David Fisher, who pounced on a defensive lapse.
After the break, former Northern Ireland U21 international Amos netted for the first time since joining the East Belfast outfit this summer – his effort trickling into the bottom corner.
Glens manager Declan Devine made two changes, one of which was enforced after captain Marcus Kane was sent off in Saturday’s defeat to Ballymena United, while teenage midfielder James Douglas dropped to the bench with Donnelly and summer signing Kodi Lyons-Foster drafted in.
For Loughgall, Dean Smith made wholesale replacements with Nathaniel Ferris, Andrew Hoey, Conor McDermott, Caolan McAleer and Lewis Francis all brought in following their 5-1 weekend loss against Cliftonville.
The Villagers have conceded more goals than any other top-flight team and that record got even worse after only five minutes at The Oval with Donnelly striking and they almost doubled their advantage soon after – Jordan Jenkins denied by a fine save from Nathan Gartside.
Home fans were able to rest a bit easier in the 53rd minute when Amos, who made over 50 Football League appearances for Grimsby Town, doubled the hosts’ advantage.
Glentoran will be back in action against Larne on Friday – their third game in six days – and boss Devine feels the current schedule is tough on both players and supporters.
“I want to say it’s hard on the players and supporters to expect them to do Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday for the second time in three weeks, plus we have it again in a fortnight with a League Cup game then Friday against Linfield,” he told the club’s website. "It’s happening because of TV but I think there needs to be a bit more common sense in how the TV games are allocated. It’s expensive for supporters too.”