Glentoran strike an early blow

Soccer/Setanta Cup/Glentoran 2 Longford Town 1: It may not have been edge of your seat stuff until the dying minutes, but last night's opening game of the Setanta Cup gave an early indication of the balance of power between the island's two leagues with Glentoran striking an early blow for the Northerners.

It was a less than entirely convincing victory for the Belfast club, but a strong second-half spell - that included goals by Michael Halliday and Stephen Parkhouse that the visitors will want to forget - earned them a victory they deserved and an early lead in the competition's first group.

The game started easily enough with neither side showing any signs of going flat-out for victory. Both managers gave the clearest indication yet that the six teams competing in this event will take it seriously, but early on at least they seemed primarily concerned with containing their opponents and it was not until the second half that the modest crowd - officially put at just 1,500 - were given anything to cheer about.

Three minutes after the restart the Longford back four appeared to go asleep and when a harmless looking cross was poorly cleared.

Michael Halliday spotted Stephen O'Brien a yard too far off his line and beat the Longford keeper to score his 27th goal of the season.

But the Belfast side then seized control of the game, continually finding gaps in the Longford defence and passing up a couple of clear-cut chances to add to their lead.

More than once Alan Matthews looked dismayed on the sidelines as he watched his back four attempt to cope with the pressure, but the most embarrassing moment of the evening came in the 65th minute when Shaun Holmes found Stephen Parkhouse in space and the striker skipped between Barry Ferguson and Danny O'Connor to score the home side's second of the night.

The different timings of the two leagues' seasons had always looked a significant factor prior to this competition kicking off and the different fitness level seemed to tell over that 30-minute spell in the second half.

While the pace of the game looked to be a step up for a Longford side that has spent the last few weeks playing rather low-key friendlies, Glentoran looked better equipped for the contest at a time when their own title race is moving into its final phase with Roy Coyle's side level on points with Belfast rivals Linfield.

Longford, though, surprised the home support with a spirited fightback during the closing 15 minutes after Matthews gambled by throwing two strikers on in place of his wide midfielders.

Alan Kirby was replaced after missing a clear-cut chance to pull one goal back, but Paul Keegan did find the net just minutes after arriving on for his first taste of the action.

At the end it was Glentoran who went closer to extending their lead than Longford did to grabbing an equaliser, but after his side's poor defending early in the half Matthews drew some comfort by the greater appetite for attack shown by his side later on.

"I was pleased with quite a lot of what we did, considering it was our first competitive game, but I didn't expect us to come back for the second half and defend the way we did for the two goals.

"The first, after the re-start was particularly disappointing, but they are a good side. That's why they are where they are in the league and by the time the return game comes around we'll have four league games under our belts and I think that will make quite a difference."

GLENTORAN: Morris, Ward, Glendinning, McGibbon, Leeman, McCann, Melaugh, Keegan, Parkhouse, Halliday, Holmes. Subs: Walker for McGibbon (54 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: O'Brien, Dillon, Paisley, Martin, O'Connor, Ferguson, Kirby, Fitzgerald, Barrett, Baker, Prunty. Subs: Byrne for Martin (half-time), Lavine for Barrett, Keegan for Kirby (both 78 mins).

Referee: Frank Hiles.