Any early Glenavon nerves should have been settled by a goal scored in the home team's first meaningful attack after just three minutes. Steven Hyndes stabbed home the ball from close range after Sean Collins had evaded a tackle near the bye line and crossed low to the near post. Loughgall refused to cave in, however, and produced a spirited performance that, with better finishing, may have seen them take something from the match. Glenavon's defence was being continually probed by the visitors and was looking a bit shaky at times. Still, it was Glenavon that came closest to scoring again, through carbon copy efforts by McCann in the 10th and 21st minutes. He flashed low shots across goal, both inches wide, after being put clear by perceptive passes from O'Boyle. Five minutes later it was McCann the provider when his low cross was whipped off the toe of Andy Hamilton by Noel Robinson, just as the young midfielder was about to pull the trigger 12 yards from goal.

In the 28th minute, former Glenavon player Keith Percy went close at the other end when he found himself unmarked on the edge of the Glenavon area and looped the ball over Rice but agonizingly wide of the post. Three minutes later Glenavon were almost caught out by a quick Loughgall break and  only prevented an equalizer with some desperate defending.

Coulter could have drawn the visitors level on the stroke of half time when his glancing header went just wide of the back post after left back Chris Guiney forced his way past McCann and sent over an excellent cross.

Colin Malone obviously had a few harsh words to say to his troops at half time as they started much more positively in the second half but it was Loughgall who created the first clear cut chances of the half. In the 63rd minute Guiney again cut a great ball back from the bye line which the Glenavon defence did well to clear but only a minute later it was the woodwork to the rescue when Coulter's right foot shot from just inside the area came off Rice's left hand post.

Malone replaced Tim Graham in the 64th minute with Conor Forker, fighting his way back into the team following a prolonged injury layoff. Within six minutes he had doubled Glenavon's lead with a well taken goal to finish off a great through ball from O'Boyle, following good work on the right by Hyndes. Hyndes, playing in his first game since sustaining a serious ankle injury in Glenavon's League victory at Ballyskeagh in the beginning of December, was then replaced by McCargo.

George O'Boyle, who had been instrumental in setting up many of Glenavon's chances, finally got on the score sheet himself in the 74th minute. He was quick to pounce when the lanky centre half, Harbinson, dwelt on the ball on the edge of his own penalty area, allowing O'Boyle to steal the ball and, though Robinson did well to save his first shot, the striker kept his cool and rammed home the loose ball from close range.

Even at 3-0 down, Loughgall refused to throw in the towel and Coulter again came close to a goal when he just failed to get enough of a touch on a low cross and had to watch the ball slide just wide of the post. Marc McCann added a slightly flattering gloss to the score line with a well taken goal five minutes from time to reward him for his hard work, after Forker's through ball gave him the opening.

Teams

Glenavon

Rice, McWilliams, Collins, Devine (Russell 77 mins), Larkin, Hamilton, Hyndes (McCargo 72 mins), Henry, O'Boyle, Graham (Forker 64 mins), McCann

Loughgall

M Robinson, Peden, Guiney, Wallace, N Robinson, Harbinson, McPherson (McNally 64), Percy, Guy, Coulter, Maguire (Nesbitt 77)

Sub not used Gilkinson

Referee: John Ferry

Match Reporter: Philip Hawthorne