GLENAVON IS EDGED OUT BY COLERAINE 2k2a41

Glenavon 0 Coleraine 1 546y1c

Sports Direct Irish Premiership 452l4e

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Saturday 8th March 2025

Glenavon produced another encouraging performance but lost narrowly to rejuvenated Coleraine.

Declan McManus, a second half substitute, scored the only goal with a well struck free kick nine minutes from time.

The home side, buoyed by a fine 2-0 win at Loughgall in midweek, made an encouraging start. In the 5th minute David Toure was almost wrestled to the ground by Dean Jarvis but managed to lay the ball off for the onrushing Davy McDaid to shoot over the crossbar.

In the 16th minute central defender Charles Dunne brilliantly hooked Peter Campbell’s in swinging corner kick off the line with Barney McKeown poised to score.

Michael O’Connor forced Rory Brown to move quickly to grab his well struck half volley from 20 yards.

O’Connor was involved again when he got his head to Campbell’s free kick, but the weak attempt drifted wide of the post.

At the other end Connor Murray shot well over the crossbar.

When Levi Ives curled a free kick over Glenavon’s defensive wall, Tadhg Ryan dived to his left to keep the ball out. Barney McKeown cleared the loose ball.

After Jamie Glackin and Matthew Shevlin played a neat one two, Ryan dived to save the Coleraine midfielder’s shot.

The match was scoreless at half-time.

In the 69th minute Shevlin squandered a gilt-edged chance to give the visitors the lead. Glackin released him on the left but when he let fly Ryan was well positioned to make a fine save.

Moments later Barney McKeown found Davy McDaid with a well directed clearance. Although still in his own half, the former Coleraine striker launched an audaciouslob which sent Rory Brown scrambling back towards his own goal but went wide of a post.

When McDaid found Jack Malone on the edge of the penalty area, the one-time Derry City midfielder hooked the ball over the crossbar.

Referee Steven Gregg provoked controversy when he failed to award a free kick for an apparent foul on substitute Paul McGovern by Jamie Glackin but seconds later penalised Jack Malone for a foul on Ronan Doherty.

Declan McManus took the kick and skilfully lifted the ball over Glenavon’s defensive wall into the roof of the net. It was a brilliant strike.

The home side tried to rally in the closing minutes but was unable to force an equaliser. Its only worthwhile goal attempt was a shot from long-range by Aaron Prendergast which Brown saved easily.

GLENAVON: Ryan, Toure, O’Sullivan, McKeown, Murphy, Snoddy, Malone, Quinn, O’Connor, McDaid, Campbell, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Marshall (not used), Lynch (not used), Carlin for Snoddy (85 mins), Prendergast for Quinn (85 mins), McGovern for O’Connor (63 mins), Wilson (not used).

Yellow Cards: McKeown (32’), Snoddy (75’).

COLERAINE: Brown, Jarvis, Ives, Dunne, Murray, Doherty, McClelland, Glackin, Shevlin, Spence, Boyle, SUBS: Little (not used), Campbell for Murray (72 mins), Scott for Spence (90+1 mins), Burns (not used), Devine (not used), Smith (not used), McManus for Shevlin (72 mins).

Yellow Cards: Murray (25’), Ives (29’), Boyle (68’).

REFEREE: Steven Gregg.