A typically fiercely fought 'Big Two' clash at the BetMcLean Oval saw Glentoran and Linfield kick-off the Clearer Water Irish Cup sixth round weekend in style.
A tense start to the game saw neither side carve out any real clear cut chances, with Daniel Amos perhaps coming closest with a free-kick which Linfield keeper David Walsh comfortably deal with.
At the other end Kyle McClean sent in a free-kick which Ben Hall flicked towards the back post but the home defence did enough to clear.
Linfield came closest to breaking the deadlock in the latter stages of the first half after Dane McCullough found Kieran Offord down the left with the new Blues signing taking the ball past Fuad Sule only to see his effort deflected onto the roof of the net.
Then, from the resulting corner, Ben Hall rose highest to head onto the top of the crossbar before the ball fell to safety.
Glentoran had a chance just before the break as well, but Kodi Lyons-Foster just couldn't keep his shot from another Amos sent piece from going over.
The deadlock was finally broken eight minutes into the second half after a defensive mix-up in the visiting defence allowed Jordan Jenkins to nip in and send a low shot from the edge of the area past David Walsh at the left post.
Jenkins might have doubled the home advantage a little later with a strike from some 30-yards out which sailed just over the top.
However Linfield levelled with just under 20 minutes remaining following Ethan McGee's long throw-in onto which Chris McKee stooped to direct a header past keeper Daniel Gyollai.
Linfield came close to edging into the lead after Joel Cooper got on the end of an Offord flick only to be thwarted on the line by Sule when a goal looked certain.
Moving into extra-time, Linfield were dealt a blow on 97 minutes when they were reduced to ten men following Cooper's dismissal for kicking out at Johnny Russell.
Glentoran almost made their extra man count straightaway only Dylan Connolly's strike from inside the six-yard box to be blocked by McGee while, moments after that, Amos was denied by the woodwork after beating Walsh with Connolly unable to convert the follow up.
But the hosts did go back in front with eight minutes of extra-time remaining when, from outside the area, Finley Thorndike let loose with a stunning left-foot effort that gave Walsh no chance as it whistled into the net.
The game ended with both sides having a player each sent-off. Linfield were further reduced to nine men when Chris Shields was shown a second yellow for obstructing Joe Thomson, with Thomson himself also being handed his second caution of the evening in the incidents that followed.
The Irish Cup action continues on Saturday with a further seven sixth round ties.
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