Glenavon 0-2 Coleraine
Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup, 5th Round
Mourneview Park, Saturday 4th January 2020
Match Report by Calum Jones
Photos by Alan Weir and Maynard Collins
Glenavon were knocked out of the Irish Cup on Saturday as Coleraine defeated them 2-0 in what was Rhys Marshall’s last game for the Lurgan Blues before his move to Shamrock Rovers.
Jamie Glackin opened the scoring for the Bannsiders on nine minutes when he rounded Jonny Tuffey to slot home after he’d been played through by Eoin Bradley.
Despite Glenavon being on top for large portions of the second half, it was Bradley who doubled Coleraine’s lead and sealed their victory when he took advantage of a defensive mix-up involving Sammy Clingan and Andrew Doyle in the 75th minute to nick the ball past Tuffey and find the empty net.
Glenavon got an early warning on five minutes when Bradley had a great chance to score. James McLaughlin lobbed a ball into the penalty area for his strike partner to run onto, but the former Glenavon player could only drag his low left-footed shot wide of Tuffey’s left-hand post.
However, Coleraine went in front less than five minutes later. Ian Parkhill fed the ball into Bradley and the striker brilliantly beat Doyle with his first touch before slipping a low pass through for Glackin. Some Glenavon supporters appealed for a foul when Glackin outmuscled Marshall, but referee Andrew Davey allowed the play to continue and Glackin calmly rounded Tuffey and slotted home to open the scoring.
Clingan had an effort on goal from a free-kick on 12 minutes which Coleraine goalkeeper Chris Johns had to tip over the bar. New signing Dylan Davidson took the resulting corner and a Coleraine defender almost turned the ball into his own net.
McLaughlin looked to be offside when he got through on goal in the 16th minute. The striker dragged his shot wide of Tuffey’s right-hand post.
On 22 minutes Andrew Mitchell produced a lovely deft pass to release Marshall. The full-back’s dinked effort drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.
Good, patient build-up play from Glenavon in the 32nd minute eventually carved out a shooting chance for James Singleton, but the left-back’s effort went well over the bar.
Ten minutes later, McLaughlin stepped inside Doyle and got a shot away, but his effort also went well over the top.
On 51 minutes Clingan curled a shot wide from the edge of the box, then a minute later he dragged another effort wide after the ball had been nodded down for him by Marshall.
McLaughlin had a good chance to double Coleraine’s lead when Parkhill picked him out with a low cross from the right, but the striker shot over the bar when he really should have tested Tuffey.
McLaughlin had an even better chance to get on the scoresheet five minutes later when he was one-on-one with Tuffey, but the Glenavon keeper produced a good save to deny him.
It was Josh Daniels who came closest to finding an equaliser for Glenavon. Mitchell picked up a loose ball on the left and swung over a cross which picked Daniels out in the 67th minute. The winger’s diving header hit the crossbar and Coleraine were able to clear.
Glenavon were well on top for a lot of the second period, but they shot themselves in the foot by gifting Coleraine a second goal 15 minutes from time. Clingan appeared to attempt to play the ball back to Tuffey but under hit his backpass. Doyle then tried to get his head to the ball to help it back to his goalkeeper, but he failed to make the right connection and Bradley was on hand to take full advantage, latching onto the loose ball and nipping past Tuffey before side-footing into the empty net to ensure Coleraine made it through to the sixth round.
Glenavon will be bitterly disappointed, not just because they have been knocked out of the Irish Cup, but also because they failed to give Marshall the send-off he deserved.
Next Saturday (11th January) the Lurgan Blues return to league action as they welcome 11th-placed Institute to Mourneview Park. Kick-off is at 3pm.
Glenavon: 1. Jonny Tuffey (GK) (C), 6. Andrew Doyle, 7. Josh Daniels, 8. Rhys Marshall, 9. Andrew Mitchell, 16. Sammy Clingan, 27. James Singleton, 28. Robert Garrett, 34. Dylan Davidson, 55. Seamus Sharkey, 80. Gary Hamilton
Subs: 12. Gregg Moorhouse (for 80. Gary Hamilton, 66’), 4. Caolan Marron (for 28. Robert Garrett, 76’), 30. Jordan Jenkins (for 34. Dylan Davidson, 76’); not used: 2. Daniel Larmour, 15. Aaron Harmon, 20. Conor McCloskey, 23. Kyle Beggs
Goals: None
Yellow Cards: 6. Andrew Doyle (50’), 27. James Singleton (86’)
Coleraine: 1. Chris Johns (GK), 2. Lyndon Kane (C), 4. Aaron Canning, 8. Stephen Lowry, 9. James McLaughlin, 10. Eoin Bradley, 11. Josh Carson, 13. Gareth McConaghie, 16. Ian Parkhill, 17. Jamie Glackin, 18. Aaron Traynor
Subs: 15. Stephen O’Donnell (for 16. Ian Parkhill, 77’), 21. Alexander Gawne (for 9. James McLaughlin, 80’); not used: 5. Steven Douglas, 23. Emmett McGuckin, 29. Martin Gallagher (GK), 31. Lewis Nevin
Goals: 17. Jamie Glackin (9’), 10. Eoin Bradley (75’)
Yellow Cards: None
Referee: Andrew Davey
