A scruffy goal in the first half, eventually back-heeled over the line by Gerard McMahon, gave Glenavon a half time lead after Coagh had come storming out in the first 10 minutes. Gerard picked up a head injury in the melee while scoring and had to have a staple in the wound.

Gerard McMahon's back heel gave Glenavon the lead. Photo by Norman Bell, Cookstown

During that initial spell of Coagh pressure Andy McDonald smothered a back post header from Jamie Tumelty and then had to make an acrobatic tip over to deny a great strike by the same player. McMahon was then played in by a good through ball from Clifford but he fired across the keeper and wide for a goal kick in the 13th minute. The visitors then seized control and took the lead in the 28th minute when McCloskey's left wing corner was deflected off the head of a defender and looped up before dropping under the posts. A goal mouth scramble ensued and somehow the ball ended up crossing the line with McMahon claiming the final touch. McMahon missed a great chance to double the lead when Clifford again put him through but the ball got caught under his feet and he had to cut across the area and narrowed the angle for himself. He also had an effort ruled out for offside in the 37th minute.

McAlorum's 41st minute drive flashed just wide after he pounced on the loose ball when Montgomery's free kick rebounded off the wall and Clifford's powerful drive in first half injury time just rose over the corner of bar and post after Topley played him in.

Five minutes into the second half Montgomery's back post header was well saved by Pollock. Coagh showed great spirit and refused to lie down. Erksine, who came on at half time, looked very lively and he troubled the Glenavon defence on a number of occasions. On the hour mark he had a goal-bound shot blocked by McCloskey. Five minutes later McDonald saved well from Gillespie after Hyndes' header failed to adequately clear the danger of a long through ball. Erksine then tested the Glenavon keeper from a tight angle resulting in a left wing throw in that led to a scramble in the 6 yard area during which the ball came off the Glenavon bar and an attempted clearance rebounded off a Coagh player before McDonald eventually pounced on the loose ball, picking up a kick from Gillespie in the process. Gillespie then flicked a header across the goal from Tumelty's cross and in the 79th minute Glenavon survived another scare when a corner had to be cleared off the line.

The United resistance was finally broken by two goals inside a minute by substitute Gareth Walsh. In the 84th minute he raced on to Jim McCloskey's excellent ball down the line and, despite being at a narrow angle, drove his shot past Pollock at his near post. Less than 60 seconds later McAlorum's little flick on took out the defence and Walsh was clear through with only Pollock to beat and he made no mistake.