Chris Morgan went close on a couple of occasions for the Glens

Brann keeper Johan Thorbjornsen made great saves to deny Chris Morgan and Willo McDonagh while Morgan and Gary Hamilton also went close for the Glens.

Ex-Rangers striker Charlie Miller came on at half-time and he set up Migen Memelli's winning goal on 68 minutes.

Brann's Arnaud Monkam was sent off late on after getting a second booking.

Glens, despite being short seven squad members, started the better of the two sides in the Belfast sunshine and the Norwegians looked rattled early on by the pace of striker Jason Hill.

The Glens' set pieces were worrying the visitors and on 22 minutes McDonagh's header went just wide after a Kyle Neill free-kick.

It took until the 29th minute before Brann had their first decent chance when Menelli and Bengt Saeternes linked up well but the latter's shot cannoned off Chris Walker and over the bar.

But the Glens continued to impress and Morgan almost broke the deadlock with a shot from eight yards which forced a superb save from Thorbjornsen.

After 64 minutes a great strike from McDonagh forced another save from Thorbjornsen and Janez Zavrl cleared.

Then came a sucker punch for the Irish League side four minutes later as substitute Miller slipped in Menelli who slammed the ball home from 12 yards.

By that stage, substitute goalkeeper Ciaran McLaughlin was in action for the Glens after Elliott Morris had been forced off by injury on the hour.

Glentoran kept up the pressure and substitute Gary Hamilton nearly got on the end of a dangerous cross nine minutes from time.

Brann's best player Cameroon international Monkam was sent off for diving on 90 minutes, having been cautioned earlier.

Glentoran: Morris, Nixon, Holmes, Walker, Simpson, Halliday, McDonagh, Berry, Neill, Morgan, Hill. Subs: Hamilton, Tolan, Browne, McCallion, McCusker, McLaughan.

SK Brann: Bjarnason, Dahl, Zavrl, Sigurdsson, Hanstveit, Knudsen, Monkam, Haugen, Moen, Saeternes, Memelli. Subs: Haraldsen, Kalvenes, Miller, Thorbjornsen.

Referee: Anders Hermansen (Copenhagen)