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

With Aaron Black out through suspension Colin Malone reshuffled his pack by moving Conor Walsh back to centre half and drafting in new boy Adrian Harper into midfield. In the continued absence through injury of Aidan McVeigh Davy Hawthorne again started up front in a 4-4-2 formation.

The outcome of this game hinged on two crucial decisions by rookie referee Arnold Hunter. The first gave United the lead when he awarded a penalty for a challenge in the box by Conor Walsh on Stephen Lowry when it appeared as though no contact was made. Vincent Sweeney scored from the spot, with Rice diving the right way but unable to get a hand to the ball as it went in off the inside of his right hand post.

The second poor decision by Mr Hunter was ten minutes later when Nathan McConnell broke clear and was brought down by a high tackle by the Limavady keeper, Michael Doherty, who had rashly raced off his line. The tackle alone was worthy of a red card, never mind the denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity and whether or not another defender had got back was irrelevant but Mr Hunter only showed the yellow card. Doherty who, speaking after the match said "I thought I was off", also escaped a further caution later in the first half when he appeared to carry the ball outside his area.

On the half hour mark McConnell saw a well struck shot deflect off a defender after he and Hawthorne played a neat one-two on the edge of the box. Hunter then put a header well wide after finding himself unmarked as Paul Walsh whipped in a dangerous cross. McConnell glanced a header a yard wide from Hunter's free kick before the former Ards man was forced off just before half time with a recurrence of a hamstring injury, Neal Gawley replacing him up front with Hawthorne dropping back to midfield. Gawley was soon into the action as he laid the ball back for Black to strike a decent low shot with Doherty getting down well to hold.

Ten minutes into the second half saw Paul Walsh race into the box onto a well weighted pass from Hawthorne only to shoot into the side netting when a ball across the area could have been more threatening.

Paul Rice had little to do in the home goals but Doherty went on to make a couple of crucial saves, one in particular in the 63rd minute when he tipped a looping shot from Gerard McMahon over the bar. Paul Walsh had fizzed a low cross-cum-shot goal wards and McMahon stuck out a toe to scoop it towards the top corner but Doherty reacted brilliantly to tip it one-handed away for a corner.

Gavin McDonnell tries to evade the attentions of a Limavady player

Glenavon controlled most of the possession throughout the game but could not convert any of the chances they created. In the 72nd minute Malone played his final cards as he brought on McKnight and McAlorum for Harper and Black, switching to a 3-5-2 formation but to no avail.

Limavady were always dangerous on the counter attack but they also failed to finish their chances. Coyle broke clear in the 75th minute but, like Walsh before him, could only direct his shot into the side netting. Sweeney missed with a good opportunity to seal the points two minutes later when he shot across Rice's goal from 10 yards but his effort missed the far post.

Ten minutes from time Doherty again came off his line only for McConnell to nick the ball away from him and it took a goal line clearance by Smith to keep out the striker's effort with Doherty parrying a well struck follow up from the same player.

In the final minutes Gawley's shot was well saved at the foot of his near post by Doherty and McConnell at full stretch just failed to get a toe to the young substitute's inviting low cross two minutes from time.