Glenavon FC News

Glenavon crashed out of the Mid-Ulster Cup at the Quarter Final stage as an extra time goal by Raymond Fitzpatrick sent Lurgan Celtic through.

Gary Liggett had given Glenavon the lead less than three minutes after he replaced James Costello, striking a fine low drive from the edge of the box after Eamon Murray had flicked the ball over the Celtic defence. The home side’s lead lasted only two minutes, though, after Adrian Harper fouled Michael Downey right on the edge of the Glenavon penalty area and Downey picked himself up to take the free kick. The ball seemed to go through the wall and rebound off a defender before left back Les McCrory poked it in from close range.

The best chance in a farly dull first half fell to James Costello after he found himself through on goal following an error by Kieran McCann but the former Carrick striker toe poked the ball inches wide of the post.

Early in the second half Tony Grant’s cross went just behind Costello but Eamon Murray picked up the ball  and drove in a low shot that keeper Ciaran Fox did well to save with his boot. Minutes later a very good cross-field pass from Molloy picked out Murray and he drove into the box to unleash another shot though this time it was a fairly easy save for the Celtic keeper. Mark Haughey, playing at right back, put over a cross that Costello controlled before turning smartly in the box and unleashing a shot but it ended up straight at Fox. Haughey was then pressed into action at the other end to make a great tackle to deny the impressive Ronan O’Hara as he burst into the Glenavon box.

Jay Magee and Trevor Molloy has headers flash over the bar before Liggett replaced Costello and scored within a couple of minutes of coming on.

In the 96th minute Molloy laid the ball into Carvill’s path and he struck a great shot from 2o yards that seemed to be heading for the top corner until Fox rose to palm it away. Fitzpatrick scored two minutes later when he rose unopposed at the back post to head Lavery’s free kick from near the corner flag past a helpless Plummer in the Glenavon goal.

Glenavon pushed hard for the equaliser and had a couple of excellent headed efforts by Grant cleared off the line by the goal scorer McCrory and late substitute Gerard McMahon almost tricked his way into a shooting position as he beat several tackles but in the end Glenavon just couldn’t find another way past the visitor’s resolute defence.

Teams

Glenavon: Plummer, Haughey, Dickson (c), Magee, Gracey (McMahon 103), Molloy, Harper, McDonagh (Carvill 57), Murray, Costello (Liggett 70), Grant. Subs: Hudson, Carvill, Liggett, Turkington, McMahon

Lurgan Celtic: Fox, Murray (c) (McEvoy 114), McCrory, McAnallen, Fegan, Murphy (Rooney 68), Downey, McCann (Lavery 91), O’Hara, McArdle, Fitzpatrick. Subs: Lavery, McEvoy, Kerr, Rooney, McKerr.

Referee: Ronnie Allen