Glentoran 2–0 Limavady United: Stewart and Hoban Shine
Glentoran had to grind for it. On opening day, under the weight of expectation and against a Limavady United side tasting top-flight football for the first time since 2008, Declan Devine’s team only found their edge after an hour – but when it came, it was ruthless.
Second-half goals from substitute Jordan Stewart and last season’s talisman Pat Hoban finally broke the resistance of the newly promoted Roesiders, who left with nothing but plenty of respect.
Glens start fast, but Limavady refuse to fold
The script looked familiar in the early exchanges. Established force at home, newcomers under pressure, and Glentoran immediately on the front foot.
Inside two minutes, Marty Gallagher was already busy. New signing Zeno Rossi stepped into space outside the box and let fly after Aaron McEneff’s cross had only been half-cleared, forcing the Limavady keeper into his first save of the night.
The chances kept coming.
Joe Thomson should have opened the scoring five minutes later. Ross Clarke carved Limavady open down the right and rolled the ball into Thomson’s path, but the midfielder dragged his low drive inches past the post. It was a let-off, and Limavady knew it.
The warning signs grew louder on 16 minutes. Clarke again delivered, Hoban bundled the ball goalwards, and only a desperate, scrambling intervention from Tiarnan Boorman on the line kept the score at 0-0. The defender’s clearance underlined the visitors’ commitment; they weren’t here to play the part of early-season cannon fodder.
Glentoran continued to press. Jack Malone went close from distance, his effort skimming just over, before James Singleton fizzed a wicked ball across the face of goal that begged for the faintest of touches. Nobody arrived.
As the half drew to a close, frustration flickered around the ground. Gallagher climbed again to tip Thomson’s long-range strike over the bar, and Limavady reached the interval still level – battered at times, but unbroken.
Limavady’s moment, then the turning point
Whatever Paul Owens said at half-time worked. Limavady emerged with a different posture, bolder and braver on the ball.
Within 20 seconds of the restart, they carved out their first real opening. Oisin Duffy found space in the box and drove in from a tight angle, only for Billy Crellin to push the shot away. It was a sharp reminder that Glentoran’s dominance on the ball meant nothing without a goal.
The visitors grew into the game. Clarke went down in the box under pressure from Boorman and Rodney Brown, Glentoran howled for a penalty, but referee Michael McKenna saw it the other way and whistled for a foul by the winger. The home crowd bristled; Limavady’s belief swelled.
Then came the spell that will haunt them.
On 53 minutes, Philip Lowry almost did what Philip Lowry so often does. The midfielder, who has built a career on late, clever runs, almost nicked a trademark goal as his dinked effort looped over Crellin – but it dropped onto the roof of the net, not inside it.
Three minutes later, he had an even clearer sight. Leon Boyd picked him out in front of goal, 10 yards out, and this time the finish deserted him completely as he blazed over. For a player of his pedigree, it was a glaring miss, and Limavady knew they might not get a better chance all night.
The punishment arrived quickly.
Stewart strikes, Hoban finishes the job
Devine turned to his bench and found the breakthrough. Jordan Stewart replaced Jordan Jenkins, and within moments the substitute changed the game.
On 61 minutes, Ryan Cooney swung in a corner and Stewart met it with a deft glance, steering his header beyond Gallagher. After all the probing, all the half-chances, it was a simple, decisive set-piece that finally cracked Limavady.
The goal jolted Glentoran to life.
Two minutes later, the contest was effectively over. Malone, who had threatened from range earlier, this time delivered from wide. His cross picked out Hoban, and last season’s top scorer did exactly what he is paid to do – rose, met it cleanly, and powered his header home to double the lead.
In the space of 120 seconds, Limavady’s best spell of the match turned into a harsh lesson in top-flight efficiency.
Owens’ side kept their shape, kept running, and refused to capitulate, but the damage was done. Glentoran managed the closing stages with the assurance of a side who knew the job was finished: three points secured, clean sheet intact, and opening-day nerves settled.
For Devine, it was “mission accomplished” in his own words – not flawless, not free-flowing for 90 minutes, but exactly the kind of professional start managers crave at the beginning of a long season.
Limavady, though beaten, left with a clearer understanding of the margins at this level. They had Glentoran wobbling for a key 15-minute spell and created the kind of chances that decide tight games. On another day, with Lowry’s radar tuned in, the story might have been very different.
