Irish Premier League: Larne’s ‘job not done yet’ as Glentoran need ‘snooker’ in title race

For a club like Glentoran, it’s hard to believe they haven’t won the title in 17 years.

Their supporters have been waiting a long time and they came out in numbers, which is why Friday’s game is so important for the club.

Had Larne picked up the points they needed against the Swifts, Glentoran would have ended the season without a trophy but things could have turned out differently.

They lost the Bate MacLean Cup final to bitter rivals Linfield thanks to Chris McGee’s extra-time penalty, while both the Irish Cup and Antrim County Shield were defeated on penalties.

The Glen are back in contention for the title after falling out of contention before Christmas and look set to finish slightly lower in the league. It’s all about fine margins.

“Whether we win the league next week or not, I think we’ve made huge progress as a football club, but that doesn’t take away the disappointment,” Devine said.

“Second, third – that’s okay, we have to accept that. We need a snooker and if we can get one next week, then it’s important that we stick to our end of the bargain.

“I thank the fans wholeheartedly. This is a big club that deserves success.”

Devine said the lack of clinical advantage was “painful” but his players “emptied the tank”.

Now, as they head to the North Coast with hope rather than expectation, they must bounce back.

“We’re not out yet, we have one game left in the season to make sure we win,” Devine added.

“This league has delivered many shocks, surprises and crazy results over the years and hopefully we can deliver on our commitments, but Larne is firmly in the driver’s seat and there’s still a home game to go.”