After Shea Campbell had a 'goal' chalked off for offside inside the first 20 seconds, it was downhill all the way for Glenavon. City right winger Liam Cullen just failed to get a touch at the back post after four minutes and David Ward was only denied by McDonald who came off his line to nick the ball off his toes five minutes later.

McVeigh's 17th minute right foot shot flashed just over the bar from Campbell's flick on but five minutes later the visitors went in front when McGeown's 20 yard free kick seemed to go through the wall which broke rather than standing firm. The goal was not without controversy as the referee Mr McFadden had insisted the kick be re-taken after City made a mess of the first attempt.

On the half hour Conor Walsh's shot was deflected out for a corner but Ward almost profited at the other end as the corner went straight out of play and the goal kick ran nicely for him. There were muted appeals for a penalty as  he went down in the box in a challenge with Montgomery.

McVeigh's turn and shot from the edge of the box was held by Rice in the 38th minute but the former Glenavon keeper spilled Gawley's shot two minutes later and, though O'Connor had the ball in the net, the whistle had already gone for an offside decision against Campbell as he beat Rice to the rebound.

Cullen should have scored on the stroke of half time as he found himself unmarked at the back post from Turkington's cross but he put his shot into the side netting.

Whatever Jim Brown said at half time, it had little effect. Armagh came out and played the better football in the second half. Their cause was helped by two goals inside the first ten minutes of the second period, The first came six minutes in when McMahon lost the ball and then the defence failed to clear Reilly's cross despite having several attempts to do so and, as McAlinden's attempted clearance only fell to Ward, he made no mistake from 8 yards.

Four minutes later Ward grabbed his second of the night when he ran on to a great through ball from Hawthorne and turned Black before finishing emphatically from 14 yards. Gawley had a great chance to pull a goal back in the 63rd minute when O'Connor squared the ball to him but he completely fluffed the shot with the goal at his mercy.

In the 64th minute Brown threw on two subs, replacing McMahon, who had a disappointing game, and Montgomery, with McKnight and Walker. Minutes later McVeigh failed to direct his header on target as he met Walker's cross at the far post then O'Connor glanced another cross from Walker wide of the post.

Glenavon were then awarded a fortuitous penalty when Mr McFadden adjudged Ward to have handled inside the box. In truth it looked like the ball had hit his chest and indeed contact seemed to be outside the box anyway. Shea Campbell duly stepped up and put the penalty low into the right hand corner of Rice's  net. Ward reacted foolishly when he ran 20 yards to confront Walker after the Glenavon sub had tripped him and was dismissed for a clash on the touchline. Mr McFadden completed a poor display when he mistakenly booked McAlinden for the foul and it was only when his assistant Andi Regan came to his aid did he show the yellow card to the real offender, Walker.

In the closing minutes Glenavon pushed McAlinden up front but, despite a couple of efforts from Verner, were unable to close the gap and Colin Malone's City team once again emerged with all three points against his old side.