Stephen Parkhouse and Shels skipper Owen Heary duel it out

The Glens held on manfully to keep the game scoreless in the first half but Jason Byrne netted twice for the visitors after the break.

While the fitness of the Dubliners was telling, the Glens stormed back with a Sean Ward strike in the 77th minute.

The winning margin could have been bigger but for the brilliant display of Glentoran goalkeeper Elliot Morris.

Part-timers Glentoran, playing out of season, started off well, but midway through the first half they came under a tremendous barrage from their Dublin visitors.

Only for the alertness of Paul Leeman and Morris, Shelbourne could have been out of sight at the break.

Twice Morris saved brilliantly from Wesley Hoolahan and again from Stuart Byrne.

Leeman twice blocked shots from a rampant Shelbourne side and then made a telling intervention to prevent Richie Baker finding his target.

Glentoran were being run ragged at this stage and both Stephen Parkhouse and Tommy McCallion showed their frustration by picking up yellow cards.

It was as you were after the break with Morris brilliantly turning aside a header by Baker and saving a pile-driver from Alan Moore.

But there was nothing Morris could do in the 54th minute when Leeman was dispossessed by Crowe and the striker took the ball down the flank before crossing for the unmarked Byrne to fire home from close range.

Nine minutes later, Leeman felled Crowe just inside the penalty box and Byrne sent Morris the wrong way from the spot.

It was thought that Glentoran would fold completely, but they staged a marvellous last 10 minutes.

Out of the blue, they pulled a goal back when substitute Ward slotted the ball home from the edge of the box in the 77th minute.

There were a few more nervous moments in the Shels defence with Nixon and Michael Halliday going close.