GLENAVON DEFEATS CLIFTONVILLE TO CONTINUE SURGE UP THE TABLE

GLENAVON DEFEATS CLIFTONVILLE TO CONTINUE SURGE UP THE TABLE 43n6h

Glenavon 3 Cliftonville 1 g6l57

Sports Direct Irish Premiership 452l4e

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Saturday 15^th February 2025

Glenavon made it five successive league wins with a comprehensive 3-1 success against Cliftonville.

Michael O’Connor (28 mins), Jack Malone (32 mins) and David McDaid (52 mins) scored the goals for Paddy McLaughlin’s side. Stephen McGuinness (90+3 mins) netted a consolation strike for the North Belfast club.

The Lurgan Blues have now climbed to ninth place in the Sports Direct Premiership table, twelve points ahead of eleventh placed Carrick Rangers.

Glenavon, without the suspended Peter Campbell, started positively and might have taken the lead after six minutes. David Toure broke on the right and delivered a pinpoint cross to the edge of the six-yard area. However, Len O’Sullivan headed wide when he looked certain to at least hit the target.

Moments later Davy McDaid, a tireless worker throughout, shot straight at Lewis Ridd.

Alex Parsons fired wide with the visitors’ first attempt.

The Reds should have scored when the ball fell to Parsons 25 yards out after Tadhg Ryan was caught in no man’s land following a mix-up on the edge of the penalty area. The striker’s attempted lob into the unguarded net went wide.

Glenavon took a deserved lead in the 28^th minute. Michael O’Connor flicked Toure’s forward into the path of Jack Malone. When the 24-year-old midfielder backheeled the ball to the centre forward, he surged into the penalty area, fended off a challenge by Conor Pepper and shot past Ridd.

Michael O’Connor takes his teammates’ plaudits following his brilliant opener against Cliftonville.

Four minutes later Malone doubled the home side’s lead. Sean Carlin, later named “Player of the Match,” prised open the Cliftonville defence with a brilliantly weighted reverse and Jack clipped the ball over the advancing Ridd.

Jack Malone celebrates after scoring the crucial second goal.

McDaid, who was involved in the build up to both goals, shot at the Reds’ goalkeeper from distance.

In the closing moments of the first half, Parsons hit the side netting with a free kick attempt from 20 yards.

Glenavon stretched its lead to 3-0 early in the second half. Jack Keaney impeded Toure just inside the penalty area after Barney McKeown had released him with a chipped . David McDaid took the penalty kick and blasted the ball past Ridd with his right foot.

Rory Hale and Jack Keaney look downcast as David McDaid wheels away after despatching the 52nd minute penalty kick.

Cliftonville substitute Destiny Ojo squandered a gilt-edged chance to reduce the arrears when he pounced on a misdirected header by debutant Harry Murphy and shot wide from 6 yards.

Rory Hale, not as influential as he was in the recent Irish Cup tie at Solitude, shot wildly over.

Stephen McGuinness pulled a goal back in injury time when he beat Ryan with a fine left foot drive from 20 yards.

Another impressive home display by Glenavon and deserved three points.

GLENAVON: Ryan, Toure, O’Sullivan, Murphy, McKeown, Quinn, Malone, Baird, O’Connor, McDaid, Carlin, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Marshall (not used), Snoddy for Malone (82 mins), Atherton for O’Connor (85 mins), McGovern (not used), Prendergast for McDaid (80 mins), Lynch (not used).

Yellow Cards: O’Connor (56’), McKeown (60’).

CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Pepper, Keaney, Lowe, Glynn, Parsons, Kearney, Hale, Curran, Casey, McGuinness, SUBS: Odumosu (not used), Ojo for Curran (28 mins), Addis (not used), Gordon for Pepper (59 mins), Wilson for Parsons (82 mins), Corrigan (not used), Graham for Lowe (59 mins).

Yellow Card: Pepper (59’).

REFEREE: Christopher Morrison.