Bobby Burns insists Glentoran won't be taking Irish Cup opponents Ballymacash Rangers lightly as ex-Hearts ace targets first silverware success

With Warren Feeney’s men trailing current Premiership leaders Linfield by 21 points and having suffered Co Antrim Shield final defeat to Larne last week, the Irish Cup provides The Oval outfit with their best opportunity to not only lift a trophy, but also secure European football for next season.

Former Hearts ace Burns has once again been a key player for the Glens since returning from a nasty injury suffered at Seaview in October, where he suffered a double fracture to his jaw which kept him out for two months.

He’s still feeling the impact of that heavy collision with the advertising boards, but having also been sent off at the Shore Road venue earlier in the campaign, Burns could smile on Saturday as he scored a 90th minute winner to help Glentoran beat Crusaders 2-1.

"It was a very traumatic thing that happened to me and is something I still think about a couple of times per day,” he admitted. “Tuesday (in Co Antrim Shield final) was the first time I'd been back playing here.

"It was a difficult thing to come through and I still have a lot of pain in my neck and am struggling to sleep. Mentally it still scares you when you look around some of the grounds with walls and fences but hopefully over the coming months the neck pain will ease.

"I was coming in and out of consciousness and it was awful. I don't think the people around me at the time realised I was in and out and then I heard one of them say 'I think he's broken his neck' and I was in consciousness at that stage!

"The scariest thing was although I was in a brace I could still hear the footsteps. I live in the countryside and sometimes you'd hear a herd of cattle coming towards you, so it was pretty terrifying."

They’ll travel to a Ballymacash side that currently sit third in the Premier Intermediate League table and are preparing for their first competitive match against a top-flight team at the Bluebell Stadium.

The tie will be broadcast on BBC and Burns says Glentoran won’t be making the mistake of taking Lee Forsythe’s team lightly as they look to avoid becoming the latest Glens side to suffer a cup shock after their 2011 defeat to Amateur League outfit Newington and 2016 League Cup exit against Annagh United.

"Ballymacash is a massive one for us because realistically we're a long way back in the league and out of other cups so the Irish Cup is a massive priority,” he added. “We can't take Ballymacash lightly.

"We've watched clips of them and from asking other people about them they seem to be a team that likes to be physical. It's going to be a cup final for them so we have to be ready for it.

"People sometimes underestimate this type of opposition but it's certainly not something we'll be doing. Being away from home adds to the atmosphere and magic of the cup, but we don't want to be the upset of that weekend because I'm sure there will be one. Ballymacash are an up and coming team and we have to be ready for it.

"I've had some great highs with winners in 'Big Two' derbies and experiences in Scotland, England and Australia. You'd love a good run. I haven't won a trophy yet and the Co Antrim Shield final was a good opportunity for that. I think we have to take that hurt into the rest of the season and it showed that we're close."