10-man Glenavon would hit Coleraine with a late sucker punch as the Bannsiders had to settle for a share of the spoils at Mourneview Park…
By: Charlie Cooke
Oran Kearney made two changes to the starting eleven which saw Graham Kelly replace Josh Carson who picked up a injury against Carrick Rangers which meant Lyndon Kane moved into the midfield. Aaron Jarvis replaced Jake Wallace who was named as part of the options off the bench.
With 10 minutes on the clock, Glenavon created the first dangerous chance of the game as Aaron Prendergast skipped by Dean Jarvis only for Gareth Deane to save his shot. The ball bounced off Deane to land at the feet of Peter Campbell whose shot was blocked by Graham Kelly.
As we approached 20 minutes played, Jamie Glackin won a header that diverted into the path of David McDaid. The striker took a touch as he found himself in space but his low strike from just outside the penalty area was well caught by former Bannsider Rory Brown.
Moments later, a corner was taken short as Glackin and Conor McKendry combined with some quick passing which saw Conor whip a ball in and Kelly was the man to meet it with his head, but his attempt went wide of the post.
Just before the half hour mark, McKendry did brilliantly on the right wing as he drove forward, cut in and had a shot from just outside the box but it was deflected into the hands of Brown.
Soon after, McKendry created space for a cross on the right which found the head of McDaid whose looping attempt sailed a couple yards by the post.
The last action of the first-half saw Glenavon receive a straight red card through Danny Wallace who was given his marching orders after he collided with Aaron Jarvis in a late challenge.
Coleraine started the second-half by carving out a half opportunity as McKendry’s shot from outside the box was caught by Brown.
On a bitterly cold afternoon at Mourneview Park, Coleraine had a penalty shout waved away after Glackin went down despite there seeming to be contact on his back after he made his way into the box.
However, Coleraine would take the lead on 78 minutes as substitute Andy Mitchell laid the ball down to Glackin after he won the ball in the air. The midfielder instinctively fired a low effort into the bottom corner.
Eight minutes later, Mitchell almost went from goal provider to goalscorer, but unfortunately for the Stripes, his half volley sailed across the goal and by the post.
In a late twist to the game, Glenavon would level at the death as defender Calum Birney was in the right place at the right to stab home from Stephen Teggart’s cut back.
A disappointing end for Coleraine who will meet the same opponents in the BetMcLean Cup on Tuesday night at The Showgrounds.
GLENAVON: Brown, Kerr, Snoddy, Malone (Teggart ’84 mins), Campbell, Quinn (Ward ’46 mins), Baird, McCloskey (Mulvenna ’71 mins), Prendergast (Shiel ’84 mins), Wallace, Garrett (Birney ’82 mins).
Subs Not Used: Purvis (GK), Henderson.
COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, D. Jarvis, Kelly (Harkin ’76 mins), A. Jarvis, McKendry, McDaid (McCrudden ’83 mins), Farren, Lynch, Glackin (O’Mahony ’83 mins), Devine (Mitchell ’55 mins).
Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Wallace, Gaston.
Referee: Shane Andrews