With Glenavon having suffered a 1-5 defeat to what was virtually a Swifts reserve side in the Ivan Marshall Cup, Colin Malone should have had no need to warn his players against any complacency and there certainly was none on display from a fired up home side. Malone fielded all three of his close season signings from Larne: Orman Okunaiya, Lewis Hamlin and Colm Kearney and all were involved in giving Glenavon a two goal lead before former Glenavon striker Shea Campbell pulled a goal back for the visitors on the stroke of half time.

The Glenavon Manager was without his most experienced player Gerard McMahon who returned from holiday with a glandular infection but this gave an opportunity in the starting line-up for 19 year old midfielder Eamonn Murray. Conor Walsh took over the Captain’s armband and Paul Carville filled in at left back for Barry Meehan who was attending a wedding.

In the first action of any significance Paul Baron’s turn and low cross was well held by Tuda Murphy before Hamlin had the first chance for Glenavon, directing a near post header just wide from Paul Walsh’s free kick. In the 15^th minute Paul Walsh tried a lob from the corner of the box that Nelson held and at the other end a minute later Murphy parried Baron’s 14 yard shot with Niall McGinn blasting the follow up over the bar.

Colm Kearney celebrates after scoring the opening goal, his first, on his debut for Glenavon.

Glenavon took the lead in the 34^th minute with two of those Larne players combining. The move started in the Glenavon half with Conor Walsh slipping the ball through the defence to Okunaiya on the right. He took the ball around Nelson before unselfishly squaring it for Kearney to tap in. Less than 60 seconds later it was 2-0 when the home side cleared a Swifts free kick and Hamlin won a challenge against Curran on the halfway line. He played the ball through to ‘Ormo’ and he drew Nelson off his line before coolly chipping the ball into the empty net.

Campbell pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 44^th minute when he slotted a low shot past Murphy who had failed to hold onto a high cross from McConkey following a disputed Swifts corner.

Johnny Cowan clears the danger

In the 51^st minute Hamlin volleyed Wallace’s cross straight into the arms of a grateful Nelson but the full back was then sent off after he picked up two yellow cards in quick succession for late challenges on the two Swifts 53^rd minute substitutes, Mark Magennis and Mark McAllister. The visitors then subjected the home side to sustained pressure with an equaliser looking to be only a matter of time. It did eventually come in the 84^th minute when McManus slid Gallagher’s pass beyond Murphy from close range. Straight from the kick off, though, Glenavon went ahead again when Stephen Magennis ran onto a through ball and was brought down by Nelson who curiously did not see red as a result but the Glenavon striker, who had replaced Hamlin ten minutes earlier, stepped up himself to slam the spot kick past the Swift’s keeper.

When the fourth official displayed the board showing four minutes additional time home supporters moaned but the ten men held on to give the fans and Colin Malone a more encouraging start to the season than has been the case for the past few years.