Shea Campbell skips over Gregg Shannon

Nine minutes later Nigel Boyd almost gifted the visitors a goal when his back pass wrong-footed Shannon but, again, the ball went just the wrong side of the post from the Glenavon perspective.

Glenavon did not really get going at the start of the second half though McMahon had cracked an 18 yard shot just over the bar less than a  minute before Sweeney's goal. That had come as Hamill had attempted to turn in the box but was tackled and the ball broke fortunately for Sweeney who smashed it in off the underside of the bar.

As time wore on Jimmy Brown threw on Verner and McVeigh and Verner flicked Farrell's diagonal ball on to Campbell in the 79th minute but the former Ballymena striker dragged his left foot shot across the face of the goal. Verner himself went close with a spectacular overhead kick minutes later when McVeigh flicked on O'Connor's cross. O'Connor, who worked tirelessly throughout, had earlier created a shooting opportunity for himself when he flicked the ball past two defenders but he sliced his shot well wide from the edge of the box.

Glenavon thought that Verner had won a penalty in the dying seconds when he went down in the box after weaving his way past several tackles but instead the referee cautioned him for 'diving'.