Stroll for the Glentoran in League Cup

It was a day football returned to the sporting calendar following the tragic death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and, although not many filed through the doors, a minute’s silence was impeccably observed.

Goals from Jay Donnelly, Aidan Wilson, McMenamin, Hrvoje Plum, Danny Purkis, who bagged a brace and Ali Roy, eased the East Belfast into the next phase of the tournament.

Striker Cathair Friel should have had the visitors in front inside the first 30 seconds.

The on-loan Coleraine man managed to twist and turn his way into the box, but with only Aaron McCarey to beat, his weak shot was knocked to safety by Paddy McClean.

If that was bad, Donnelly held his head in shame on 17 minutes. He gobbled up a horrible back pass from Jamie McCormick before rolling his shot wide of the target with only goalkeeper Dylan Doherty to beat.

He made amends on 22 minutes. McMenamin provided the cross to the back post, where Donnelly’s thumping header left Doherty helpless.

Glentoran then should have been out of sight. McMenamin was picked out by skipper Marcus Kane with a brilliant 40-yard pass and after doing everything right, he could only shoot against the body of Doherty.

McMenamin missed another golden opportunity on 33 minutes.

This time he was left in the clear with a brilliant cut-back from Rhys Marshall, but his shot lacked accuracy and flew into terracing behind the goal.

Shay McCartan was then unlucky to see a cute lob inch over the top with Doherty stuggling before he lashed a fierce drive into the side netting.

But the clock ticking down to the interval, the Glens struck again – hitting their opponents with a double whammy.

In a training ground free-kick routine, Bobby Burns, McMenamin and Donnelly were all involved, leaving Wilson with a simple finish.

And, just before referee Steven Gregg’s whistle, McMenamin cut in from the right before letting fly and his shot took a deflection before lobbing over the stranded Doherty.

The theme continued after the break with the Glens punishing the visitors once again when McMenamin whipped in a great cross from the right that was volleyed home by midfielder Hrvoje Plum.

It was not procession stuff with substitute Purkis bagging a beauty on 73 minutes, cutting in from the left before sending a thundering shot past Doherty.

Roy then displayed his finishing instincts, picking up a pass from Plum before thundering home . . . the full-time whistle couldn’t come soon enough for the Championship team.

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Kane, Wilson (Crowe 56), Burns, McCartan, Marshall, J Donnelly (Purkis 65), McClean, Devlin (Wightman 56), McMenamin (Roy 65), Plum.

Unused subs: R Donnelly, Murray, Webber.

INSITITUTE: D Doherty, Kelly, McAleer, Leppard, McFadden (McLaughlin 56), Coyle, Dunne (Walker 46), King, McCormick (Burke 46), Friel (McDermott 71), Clarke (S Doherty 46).

Unused subs: Muldoon, Whiteside.

REFEREE: Steven Gregg.