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

BLUES CRASH OUT OF IRISH CUP

Trevor Molloy celebrates opening the scoring with his first goal for the Club.

Glenavon started this JJB Sports Irish Cup 5th Round tie with newly unveiled Manager Terry Cochrane watching from the Geddis stand. After former Glenavon striker Marty Verner had a 12th minute overhead kick ‘goal’ disallowed for offside it was the home side that took the lead four minutes later. Paul Carville crossed to the far post for Stephen Magennis and he cut the ball back to Michael McKerr. David Bracken glanced McKerr’s cross on and Trevor Molloy stuck out a leg to just get enough on the ball to see it trickle over the line for his first Glenavon goal on his home debut. Despite dominating the play during most of the first half, Glenavon failed to extend the lead and this was ultimately to cost them a place in the hat for the Sixth Round.

David Bracken and Steven Munn challenge for the ball

Bracken hit the bar in the 35th minute when he curled a great shot from outside the left corner of the box only to see it crash back off the cross bar. Verner came very close to an equaliser three minutes from the break when Cowan delayed his clearance and lost the ball. This allowed Forsythe to cross from the left and Verner was inches from making contact as he slid in about 8 yards out. Verner did score the equaliser but it took a dubious penalty which Referee Arnold Hunter awarded deep into first half injury time as Verner and Meehan went for the ball on the six yard line.

Glenavon had their own penalty claims turned down five minutes into the second half when Stephen Magennis’ shot appeared to strike the hand of Munn but the referee waved play on. Melly then curled a long range free kick into the box and, with everyone failing to get a touch, the ball just missed the far post.

Andy Hageman went close to joining Molloy on the score sheet with a back post header that went narrowly wide from Carville’s 60th minute free kick after Gilmore was penalised for handling Molloy’s cross, this time outside the box.

Bangor manager Paul Millar was sent to the stand in the 68th minute after Assistant referee Gareth Eakin called Mr Hunter’s attention to something that Millar had presumably said. It was only five minutes later when, with Bracken inches away from heading in Molloy's great near post cross, Bangor broke quickly through Verner and Andy Morrow and Gavin McDonnell got in a tangle as they challenged for the ball. Mr Hunter surprisingly produced a straight red card for the Glenavon defender, apparently for elbowing. Bangor’s Stephen Munn made the punishment complete from the resulting free kick when he curled it superbly round the wall and just inside Tuda Murphy’s left hand post.

With time running out Glenavon was forced to throw caution to the wind and it almost paid off when Eamon Murray, a 70th minute substitute, beat two defenders and unleashed a great strike from the edge of the box that Ryan Brown saved brilliantly by pushing the ball over the bar for a corner. From that corner Collier headed Hageman’s header off the line. Verner had a chance to seal the victory three minutes from time when McKerr misplaced a pass but the striker wasted the chance when he lifted his shot over the bar with only Murphy to beat.

Alan Fraser was disappointed with the booing of some of the supporters directed at him and Stevie McBride "It seemed to be my fault today, judging by the abuse I was getting which I just couldn't accept. I'm not sure if I want to be here any more or not. I'm gutted, I'm really down because I wanted to get a result for the Club and the players and the supporters. I picked a team that I thought could get a result today and I think the players have to start having the finger pointed at them as opposed to the coaches and the manager.

"(For the penalty) it was disappointing that we let them get a cross in so easily. They were able to deliver a ball into the box right on half time but I thought it was a very harsh decision but that's Cup football; anything can happen on the day. People will say 'Bangor's a First Division side' but it's still a decent team and they've some good players and I told the lads that.

"We had a decent shout for a penalty but today wasn't our day - that's the way it goes for you. He gave a hand ball just after it out wide. To me the one in the box was exactly the same so I ask the question 'Because it's in the box, you don't give it?' It was a blatant hand ball as far as I could see but they don't answer you when you ask.

"We'd no divine right to go through to the next round. We had to earn it and we didn't earn it today in certain phases of the game."