With Newry City 's players still coming to terms with the sudden departure of their manager in midweek, Glenavon taking the lead through a Marty Verner goal within 65 seconds of the kick off should have been a blow to the confidence of the visitors and the ideal start for the home side. Walker's cross was controlled on the edge of the box by Hyndes and his neat pass put Verner through for a cool finish past Robinson.

That lead lasted just three minutes, though, as James Willis outpaced Aaron Black and slotted past McDonald after he raced onto Ferguson's through ball. The Glenavon keeper pulled off a brilliant one-handed save to keep out Ferguson's rising drive just a minute after the opening goal when the youngster latched onto Willis' clever back-heeled flick.

It was 'hero turned villain' though in the 12th minute when McDonald, last week's man of the match against Coleraine, palmed a deep Kevin Keegan cross back across his own goal from 3 yards beyond the back post. That left Lee Feeney with a relatively simple finish for his first goal for Newry.

Paul McKnight could have levelled the game in the 25th minute when he was put clean through by Verner's pass but, with only the keeper to beat from 12 yards, he stopped, seemingly expecting an offside flag that never came.

A bad error by Davy McAlinden saw his weak back pass release Feeney and the former Rangers star slotted past the exposed McDonald just 45 seconds into the second half to more or less kill off any hopes of a Glenavon comeback.

Walsh could have restored some hope 15 minutes later but he headed over from inside the six yard box and then to compound his misery was dismissed in the 77th minute for a second yellow card after a foul on Keegan.

Newry spurned chances through Willis who was denied by McDonald and Ferguson who dallied and allowed Reid to get across and clear. Willis also fired wide after he was released by a brilliant ball from Feeney but in injury time City's industrious midfielder Richard Clarke got the just reward for his efforts when he slid the ball under McDonald from Crawford's pass.