Last Time Out

A five-goal thriller would see Glenavon overcome Coleraine back in March as both teams ended the contest with ten men…

Date:

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Result:

Coleraine 2-3 Glenavon

Goals – K. McLaughlin (’75 mins), Allen (’83 mins); Campbell (’16 mins), Fitzpatrick (’52 mins), O’Mahony (’68 mins)

Report: 

COLERAINE would lose out by the odd goal in five as they were beaten by Glenavon in an entertaining affair at The Showgrounds.

With four minutes on the clock Glenavon had the first chance of the game when a Peter Campbell corner was played back towards goal by Calum Birney and into the path of Mark Haughey, but his effort was deflected wide for a corner by Lyndon Kane at the near post.

The visitors took the lead in spectacular style after Conor McCloskey had been fouled on the right hand side of the Coleraine box. Campbell decided to go for goal despite the awkward angle and did well to beat Gareth Deane with 16 minutes on the clock.

They almost had another a short time later when a low pass by Matthew Fitzpatrick found Matthew Snoddy, but the midfielder’s cheeky backheel could only find the side netting.

Coleraine looked to level through Curtis Allen but his half volley had too much on it and sailed over the top of James Taylor’s crossbar.

Ten minutes before half time Campbell almost had a second when he turned Carson and Mullan before hitting a low shot at goal. Deane was alert to it and turned the ball around the post.

Former Glenavon forward Andrew Mitchell almost levelled the scores before the break when he connected with a Stephen Lowry cross, but his header was tame and easily dealt with by Taylor.

Seven minutes after the restart Glenavon were 2-0 ahead when Jack O’Mahony drove forward and, with a lovely ball, found Fitzpatrick who finished superbly with a powerful low shot under the goalkeeper. They could have had a third when Campbell tried his luck with a free kick which was 20 yards from goal, but he was unable to find the target.

The Bannsiders should have pulled a goal back when Josh Carson, who burst through on goal, and Kirk McLaughlin both came within a whisker of making it 2-1, but both players were to be denied by the frame of the goal.

McLaughlin was unlucky again when he hit the post from a Curtis Allen cross. The ball was cleared for a Coleraine corner but Glenavon broke through Campbell. He slipped Jack O’Mahony through and he made no mistake as he went one-on-one with Deane.

McCloskey could have added a fourth when he was played in by Fitzpatrick but he dragged his shot past the far post from inside he box. McLaughlin finally got his goal on 76 minutes when he bundled the ball into the net, but in the aftermath James Taylor was sent off for clashing with the Coleraine forward as they came out of the goalmouth. Fitzpatrick went in goal for the Lurgan Blues.

The deficit was reduced to one goal when Allen scored from the penalty spot after McLaughlin was fouled on the edge of the box, sending the stand-in goalkeeper the wrong way.

However, Coleraine were reduced to 10 men themselves when Mullan was sent off for the Bannsiders as the game rolled into stoppage time. He bodychecked Campbell as he burst through on goal meaning he collected a second caution.

The win was Glenavon’s first at the Coleraine Showgrounds since October 2018.

Line-ups:

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, Mullan, Brown, Lowry, Carson, Wilson, Traynor, Allen, Mitchell (Bradley ’55 mins), K. McLaughlin.

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), O’Donnell, Elliot, Stewart.

GLENAVON: Taylor, Birney, Haughey, Campbell, Snoddy, McCloskey (Hall ’85 mins), Fitzpatrick, O’Mahony, Wallace, Garrett, Ward.

Subs Not Used: J. Doyle, Corr, Lynch, Norton, Harvey, Prendergast.

Referee:

Tim Marshall