A goal in each half by Kieran O'Connor sealed a vital victory for Glenavon over second placed Donegal Celtic at Suffolk on a clear Saturday morning. Gerard McMahon, last-minute replacement for Stephen Hyndes who was injured in the warm-up, provided the exquisite pass that set up the first goal. O'Connor showed a good touch to control the ball on the edge of the area and seemed to take an age before stroking the ball past the stranded keeper. The second goal resulted from Aiden McVeigh putting the defender under pressure and forcing an error that allowed the ball to break for O'Connor. Once again he showed a cool head as he slotted the ball past the keeper.

In the 5th minute Aiden McVeigh charged down the keeper's kick out but he was unable to profit as the ball spun away from the danger area. This was a typical example of McVeigh's hard work and he gave the DC defence plenty to think about throughout.

Both sides had the ball in the net in the first half, Gerard McMahon having an effort ruled out for a foul on the keeper and Brendan Allsopp heading in from a free kick only to have it disallowed for pushing.

Glenavon's own keeper, Andy McDonald had a superb game, making three vital saves, one a double stop when the score was still 1-0. His handling throughout was also impeccable. The DC keeper also made a couple of very good saves, to deny O'Connor his hat trick and also keeping out McVeigh's shot near the end.

Glenavon was making most of the running in the first half but clear-cut chances were hard to come by. In the 28th minute Clifford's cross almost caught Brown out and he was forced to palm the ball over his cross bar. Two minutes later the lively Gawley saw a well struck shot blocked after McVeigh had headed down Clifford's cross. With the game heading to half time McAlinden won possession in his own half just outside the centre circle. He pushed the ball sideways to McMahon who collected it a few yards inside the touchline, turned it back onto his right foot and then hit a 40 yard ball into the path of Kieran O'Connor who allowed it to bounce once and then scored from 7-8 yards out, waiting until the keeper had committed himself before slotting it beyond him.

DC came out all guns blazing in the second half and within five minutes of the restart O'Connor was in action in his own goal area, clearing the ball off the line. He headed off the line again in the 53rd minute after Donnelly chipped a cross-shot over McDonald that rebounded off the inside of the post.

McDonald saved well from another effort by Donnelly as the DC skipper struck a shot from 12 yards. O'Connor went close to doubling his tally in the 67th minute but Brown dived to his right to push his free kick around the post. Ten minutes later McDonald made a brilliant double save, blocking a fiercely struck shot  from McGourty, who had scored the equaliser in the previous meeting at Mourneview, and Paul McDonald's follow up header. McVeigh had a chance to seal the points in the 81st minute when he held off his marker and tried an ambitious shot across goal from a difficult angle when Gawley was well placed for a cross.

The game was clinched a minute later from a long drop kick by McDonald. McVeigh and his marker both failed to make contact with the dropping ball but Aiden turned quickest and got a touch just before the Celtic sweeper Fox who was coming across to challenge for the loose ball. O'Connor managed to nick it off the toe of a covering defender and slip it under the keeper's body from 15 yards out, with his left foot this time.

In stoppage time McDonald made another great save to deny his namesake Paul and McVeigh brought out a good save from Brown after good work by Walker and Murray.