Glenavon carved out the best of the openings in the first half with Conor Dillon and David Elebert going close headers from inswinging Mark Patton corners. Andy McGrory drew a great save from Alexander Clark when he got on the end of a long raking cross-field pass and drilled a shot which the Saints keeper turned around the post. At the other end it was an easy 45 minutes for Johnny Tuffey who didn’t have a save to make.

Simon Kelly clears the ball. Photo by David Hunter

Saint’s striker Chris Kane put them in front with a neat turn and shot from 12 yards in the 72nd minute as the Perth side put in an improved performance in the second half. This was hard on the hosts after McGrory had once again drawn a fantastic save out of Clark in the 58th minute and Dillon just failed to make contact with a cross from McGrory that was almost turned into his own net by a defender.

David Elebert slides in to make a vital block and deny Craig Thomson a shot on goal. Photo by Philip Hawthorne

Kevin Braniff equalised from the spot in stoppage time after Gary Hamilton had been tripped in the box by Eoghan McCawl.

Kevin Braniff shields the ball from Tom Scobbie. Photo by David Hunter

Glenavon: Tuffey, Marshall, Elebert, Kelly, Singleton, McGrory, Kilmartin (Josh Lynch 80), Dillon (Burns 82), Patton (Hamilton 73), Braniff, Martyn (c). Subs: Drylie, M Lynch, J Lynch, Deery, Boylan, Burns, Hamilton

St. Johnstone: Clark (Hurst 72), Shaughnessy (Gordon 63), Scobbie, Caddis (Easton 46), McKay (Comrie 63), Rodger, O’Halloran (McLaren 63), Wotherspoon (c) (McCawl 78), Kane, Cummins (Sutton 63), Thomson. Subs: Hurst, Easton, Gordon, McCawl, Comrie, Sutton, McLaren, Lappin