All photographs on this page are © by Drew McWilliams, permission granted to glenavonfc.com

A 5th minute goal from Barry Meehan, his first since signing for Glenavon, was, in the end, all that separated the sides in this 5th Round Irish Cup tie, played in atrocious weather conditions at Mourneview Park. Three minutes earlier he had found himself in an almost identical position inside the box when Harper split the defence with an  excellent pass but on that occasion the keeper made a good save with his foot.

Meehan made no mistake with his second chance. This time it was Conor Walsh with the decisive pass with Meehan taking his time and slotting the ball into the bottom corner of Hughes' net.

With Glenavon playing into a fierce wind, seconds after the opening goal it could have been an embarrassing equaliser with Paul Rice's goal kick blowing back into the penalty area and it took a good block by the keeper to deny Graeme Arthur who had latched on to the loose ball. Rice's next major action was to change his shirt with the referee, Steven Moran, only then seeming to realise the potential for confusion with the green and black of the PSNI outfield players.

At the other end Paul Hughes was in good form in the PSNI nets, making an excellent save to deny a Conor Walsh shot in the 11th minute as he latched on to a great cross from Nathan McConnell. Arthur's free kick then found its way through a mass of bodies to the back post where it seemed to catch his team mate Brian Russell by surprise and his hesitation gave the defence a chance to block his shot for a corner. The former Crues striker was unlucky minutes later when he crashed a powerful shot off the bar from 30 yards, the follow up from Arthur being deflected out for yet another corner.

McConnell connected well with a left foot volley in the 27th minute only to see Hughes fling himself across the goal and make another great save. The best chance of the game for the visitors came five minutes later when centre half Ross Jardine flung himself full length at the far post to connect with May's free kick only to see his header fly inches wide of the post.

In first half stoppage time Stephen Caffrey's shot from inside the box was brilliantly saved by Hughes with Gerard McMahon dragging his follow up shot right across the goal mouth and beyond the far post.

The weather improved in the second half but the football sadly deteriorated. The closest Glenavon came to extending the lead came with a 67th minute corner when Caffrey lobbed the ball over Hughes only for Jardine to head off the line. Chris Towell was the Police's most lively player throughout and Rice did well to save his low shot seconds later.

Meehan went close with a left foot shot in the 82nd minute that curled narrowly wide and McConnell fired over from just outside the box after good build-up play on the left by Paul Walsh. Two minutes from time Rice and McDonnell got in a mix-up and allowed the ball to break to Towell. His low near post cross was cut out for a corner which led to Philip May having a shot from edge of a crowded box that Rice did well to hold as he must have been unsighted.

In the last minute of stoppage time Rice fumbled a shot from Tumilty and he was grateful to McDonnell  for clearing the danger as Towell looked to latch onto the loose ball.