GLENAVON IS NARROWLY BEATEN BY LINFIELD 362i54
Linfield 1 Glenavon 0 6o6q31
Sports Direct Irish Premiership 452l4e
The National Stadium, Windsor Park, Belfast
Saturday 21st December 2024
Despite dominating possession for the entire second half, Glenavon slipped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Linfield at the National Stadium.
Chris McKee headed the crucial goal in the 11th minute following a brilliant cross from the left by Ethan McGee.
Ironically, the visitors started the match well. In the 9th minute Chris Atherton accepted a from Matthew Snoddy, glided past two defenders but shot over the cross bar from an acute angle.
However, the goal settled the home side, and it dominated the next 20 minutes.
Matthew Fitzpatrick was close with a shot from the left side of the penalty area after Jamie Mulgrew had set him free.
In the 19th minute Peter Campbell cleared Stephen Fallon’s effort from Kirk Millar’s free kick off the line. Millar picked up the loose ball but fired narrowly wide.
Four minutes later McKee made a clean connection with Millar’s corner-kick, but Mark Byrne tipped his shot over the crossbar.
Glenavon grew stronger as the half progressed.
Atherton, making his first appearance at the National Stadium, was unfortunate when his corner struck the crossbar.
Peter Campbell made a penetrating run on the left and found Davy McDaid inside the penalty area. The former Coleraine striker controlled the ball well but his attempted pull-back was intercepted by a defender.
At the start of the second half Fitzpatrick headed wide from Fallon’s cross. Thirty-four minutes later McGee miscued from a difficult angle. Those were the only two occasions when Linfield threatened.
The visitors attacked relentlessly. However, a lack of quality in the final third and good defending by the home side meant that they created only a handful of scoring chances.
At the midway point Michael O’Connor headed narrowly over the crossbar from Len O’Sullivan’s deep cross.
In added time substitute James Ward, well placed only 8 yards out, flailed at O’Connor headed and his right foot shot went wide.
Right at the death, Glenavon was awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area following a foul on O’Sullivan. Ward took it but his shot did not trouble Walsh.
LINFIELD: Walsh, Roscoe-Byrne, Orr, Shields, Fallon, Hall, Millar, McGee, Mulgrew, McKee, Fitzpatrick, SUBS: Johns (not used), Whiteside for Fallon (65 mins), R. McDaid for McKee (77 mins), Ballantyne (not used), Archer for Hall (65 mins), Annett (not used), McKay (not used).
Yellow Cards: None.
GLENAVON: Byrne, Toure, O’Sullivan, Haughey, McKeown, Snoddy, Malone, Campbell, D. McDaid, O’Connor, Atherton, SUBS: Fry (not used), Quinn for Haughey (60 mins), Doona for Atherton (74 mins), Lynch (not used), Ward for Malone (79 mins), Doran (not used), McGovern (not used).
Yellow Cards: Malone (18’).
REFEREE: Steven Gregg.
