GLENAVON SUFFERS DISAPPOINTING DEFEAT 313xq
Glenavon 0 Glentoran 3 d522h
Sports Direct Irish Premiership 452l4e
Mourneview Park, Lurgan
Saturday 10th November 2024
Despite matching its opponent for long spells, Glenavon suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Glentoran.
Daniel Amos (11 mins), Finlay Thorndike (46 mins) and Dylan Connolly (72 mins) scored the goals.
The home side made a bright start and could have taken the lead as early as the 6th minute. Michael O’Connor dispossessed a defender but instead of dribbling the ball into the penalty area elected to shoot early and Daniel Gyollai saved easily.
The visitors took the lead when Dylan Connolly crossed low from the right and Daniel Amos blasted the ball into the top corner of the net from 16 yards.
Aaron Wightman picked out Cameron Palmer with an accurate cross, but the midfielder headed over at the near post.
James Carroll almost equalised for Glenavon midway through the half. His header from Chris Atherton’s corner was kicked off the line by David Fisher.
In the 28th minute Carroll picked out O’Connor on the edge of the six-yard area with a fine long . The striker controlled the ball well, but his shot was blocked by Wightman and quickly gathered by Gyollai.
Moments later Paul McGovern’s long-range effort was saved by the Glentoran custodian.
James Carroll’s back header from Michael O’Connor’s long throw-in was also grasped by Gyollai.
Cameron Palmer shot wildly over the crossbar.
Glenavon appealed for a penalty-kick when Aaron Wightman clashed with Chris Atherton. Referee Shane Andrews waved play on.
In the 46th minute Thorndike doubled the visitors’ advantage. The Glentoran midfielder pounced on Barney McKeown’s weak clearance from Aaron Wightman’s cross and shot past Gareth Deane.
Amos shot well wide from more than twenty yards.
Substitute David McDaid’s right foot snapshot was only marginally off target.
Jay Donnelly’s attempt from distance was easily saved.
When Peter Campbell lost the ball, Dylan Connolly broke quickly but Deane denied him with a fine stop.
However, Connolly was not to be denied. When Keith Ward misjudged a back , the former Dundalk winger took the ball around the Glenavon goalkeeper and tapped it into the empty net.
Moments later Ward wasted a gilt-edged chance to make up for his error. When the ball fell to him 12 yards out, he blasted it over the crossbar.
David McDaid should have scored when Ward found him with a neat . The former Coleraine striker, standing completely unmarked eight yards out, miskicked and the chance was gone.
Jordan Jenkins had a chance to extend Glentoran’s lead but he shot narrowly over the crossbar.
GLENAVON: Deane, Marshall, O’Sullivan, McKeown, Carroll, Malone, Quinn, Campbell, O’Carroll, Atherton, McGovern, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Haughey (not used), Snoddy for Atherton (75 mins), McDaid for McGovern (54 mins), Doona for Campbell (75 mins), Lynch (not used), Ward for Carroll (66 mins).
Yellow Card: Campbell (56’).
GLENTORAN: Gyollai, Kane, Hvid, Palmer, Connolly, Donnelly, Fisher, Amos, Wightman, Douglas, Thorndike, SUBS: Mills (not used), Lyons-Foster for Donnelly (87 mins), Aouachria for Fisher (84 mins), Parfitt (not used), Murphy (not used), Lindsay for Wightman (87 mins), Jenkins for Thorndike (75 mins).
Yellow Card: Aouachria (85’).
REFEREE: Shane Andrews.
