GLENS EDGE FIVE-GOAL STANGMORE THRILLER
Glentoran got the better of Dungannon Swifts by the odd goal in five following an entertaining season opener at Stangmore Park.
The Glens needed just eight minutes to open the scoring after Robbie McDaid broke the offside trap to run onto a Bobby Burns pass before cutting inside from the left and finished past keeper Alex Moore.
Dungannon levelled midway through the first half, however, when an Oisin Smyth left-sided free-kick took a deflection onto an upright for Cahal McGinty to pounce and poke over the line.
And Dean Shiels' side might have gone in at the break in front had Terry Devlin taken advantage of Ethan McGee's cross into the box with the goal at his mercy from close range.
It proved to be a costly error when, just five minutes after the break, Conor McMenamin restored Glentoran's lead with a simple finish into the net after Moore had done well to push out a Jay Donnelly effort.
Looking to seal victory, the Glens continued to press with Hrvoje Plum firing just wide before McMenamin saw a couple of efforts both well saved.
Glentoran's third goal did arrive with five minutes remaining through substitute Ruaidhrí Donnelly after he bundled home a Plum corner following another Moore save.
But Dungannon were thrown a lifeline right at the end of normal time after Ben Gallagher found the net with a low finish in off an upright ... but it proved to be too little, too late to salvage something from the game.
Dungannon Swifts: Moore, Glynn, Cowan, Mayse, McCready, Smyth, Campbell, C. McGinty, McBrien, Devlin, McGee subs Quinn (not used), Knowles (replaced Mayse 70), McAleer (replaced Campbell 78), Gallagher (replaced McBrien 78), McCarron (replaced McCready 79), Glenny (not used), Conway (replaced Devlin 70)
Glentoran: McCarey, Kane, McCullough, Burns, McCartan, Marshall, J. Donnelly, McDaid, McClean, McMenamin, Plum subs R. Donnelly (replaced J. Donnelly 78), Mitchell (replaced McDaid 83), Clucas (not used), O'Connor (replaced McCartan 83), Smith (replaced Burns 73), Marron (not used), Glendinning (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
