Dungannon Swifts 4-0 Glenavon
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Jeff Montgomery’s View (Audio)
Swifts manager Dixie Robinson was honest in his post-match interview “I thought we were poor in the first half; we started the game lethargically and looked heavy-legged and not our usual bright selves. To go in 2-0 up was probably much more than we deserved.
“We ran out emphatic winners in the end; the margin probably flattered us but, for what I would call an average performance by us, it shows the standards we have set for ourselves.”
Despite Glenavon dominating the possession for the first 20 minutes it was the home side that went ahead in the 23rd minute. A quickly taken free kick by Neil McCafferty on the left wing allowed Craig McClean time and space to cross to the near post where Michael Ward nipped in to glance a header past Tuda Murphy.
Glenavon responded well and two minutes after the opening goal Tony Grant flicked a header on to Willo McDonagh whose low cross was almost deflected in for an own goal but for a brilliant reaction or a lucky bounce off Swifts keeper Alvin Rouse and onto the post.
The Swifts doubled the lead in the 27th minute when Murphy hesitated as Timmy Adamson ran onto a headed clearance by Alain Emerson from Glenavon’s goal kick, allowing the striker time to pick his spot and hammer the ball to the net.
Trevor Molloy had a shot from a narrow angle deflected for a corner and his 25 yard shot in the 38th minute was spilled by Rouse but the big keeper was able to gather the rebound before Grant could latch onto it.
McCafferty went close in the first minute of the second half with a free kick from the ‘D’ that curled a foot wide of Murphy’s right hand post.
Jeff Montgomery made a triple substitution in the 66th minute with Gary Liggett, Stuart King and Eamon Murray replacing McDonagh, Costello and Carvill with the visitors going three at the back.
It was really game over when another ball down the middle saw Tuda Murphy again hesitate allowing Adamson to nick the ball past him and run the ball into the unguarded net.
Neil McCafferty made it 4-0 from the spot after Shea Campbell needlessly pulled down Conor Forker on the left side of the box in the final minute.
Glenavon was even denied an injury time consolation after the referee awarded an indirect free kick for a back pass on the corner of the 6 yard area but the ball was headed out from under the bar.
Teams:
Dungannon Swifts: Rouse, Montgomery, Fitzpatrick, McCafferty, Adamson, Ward (D. Murphy 74), McIlmoyle (Forker 84), Ferguson, Emerson, McClean, McCann (McMinn 53). Subs not used: Mooney, Hamilton.
Glenavon: T. Murphy, Campbell, Carvill (Murray 66), Gracey, Magee, Harpur, McDonagh (Liggett 66), Walsh, Molloy, Costello (King 66), Grant. Subs not used: Harper, McAnallen.
Referee: Colin Burns
