APRIL 2007
28th April:
HARPO'S EXOCET SINKS CITY
Armagh City 1-2 Glenavon
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| Stephen Magennis grabbed the winner
for Glenavon |
Adrian Harper's 7th minute rocket from 25 yards left James Miller flat footed
and looking bemused as the ball thumped the back of his net as Glenavon made an
excellent start in a must-win game. The Lurgan Blues had started brightly and
skipper Gerard McMahon, back in the squad after missing last week's game through
a groin strain, almost gave his team the lead when he headed narrowly wide from
Paul Walsh's 4th minute cross.
The home side improved as the half went on and it took a good save from the
right boot of Paul Rice to deny Conor Forker as he raced on to Stephen Hyndes'
ball out of defence. Three minutes later City drew level when Kieran O'Connor
chipped a cross to the back post where James Slater got his head to it and the
ball looped over Rice with Michael McKerr on the line just unable to get his
head to it.
Glenavon went close to restoring the lead four minutes before the break when
Paul Walsh's deflected shot led to a succession of corners with Gavin McDonnell
having another shot deflected and David Ward hitting a shot into the ground and
just bouncing over the bar. In the final minute of the half City strung together
a neat move that saw Ian Wallace forced to head Shane Coney's header over his
own bar after a free kick quickly taken by O'Connor caught the Glenavon defence
napping.
Glenavon was the better side in the second half with Walsh setting the tone
after a neat passing move at the start of the half, though his shot lacked the
power to test Miller. Ward had a shot cleared off the line with McDonnell
blasting the rebound over the bar in the 53rd minute. Minutes later Walsh
carelessly gave the ball away to Hyndes and, when his cross fell to Coney, it
took a deflection to divert his shot over the Glenavon bar. O'Connor then hit
the bar with a shot from the edge of the area before Harper tested Miller with a
shot from the edge of the box that the lanky keeper did well to get down to
gather at the foot of his post.
Substitute Stephen Magennis scored the goal that was to ensure the three points
for Glenavon when he ran on to Marty Hunter's 63rd minute through ball and
stroked it past Miller.
Mark Turkington's free kick curled narrowly wide with Rice struggling to get
across to it before McConnell's well-struck shot forced Miller to dive
full-length to his right and the City keeper again did well when he stuck out a
leg to keep out McConnell's near post toe poke in the 87th minute.
"It was important that we came and got a positive result here today. There's
been a lot of talk, obviously, in the last few days but, at the end of the day,
Glenavon has done nothing wrong.
"That issue doesn't hide the disappointment that we didn't look after ourselves
as well as we'd have liked to but the important thing for Glenavon Football Club
is that we are still in the Premiership.
"It was a good result and good performance today and we've finished on a
positive note and let's hope we can start next season with a better-equipped
squad and winning more games.
"David Bracken has agreed a new contract. It's just a matter of sitting down and
sorting it out. There will be a few players leaving Mourneview in the coming
weeks to make way for new players coming in but its important that we keep what
quality we have in the squad. Gavin and Conor Walsh, players like that certainly
gives us a chance to improve the squad."
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| Colin Malone and the
Glenavon squad lend their support to the Buy a Brick
scheme. For details of the scheme please contact Tommy
Fisher on 07876 103158. |
GAV SIGNS NEW DEAL
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| Sally Steele awards the Alan Steele
Award to Gavin McDonnell, the official 'Glenavon FC Player of the Year'
|
Gavin McDonnell has celebrated his Glenavon FC Player of the Season award, by
agreeing to stay at Glenavon next season. The good news was announced at the
Glenavon Fundraising Committee's annual lunch attended by 100 Club members and
staff and players prior to the Armagh City match.
21st April:
HARD-EARNED DRAW
Linfield 0-0 Glenavon
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| Seventeen-year old Michael McKerr
had another superb game in the Glenavon defence at right back. |
With Linfield virtually assured of the Championship going
into this game and Glenavon being decimated by injuries and fielding a number of
players with an average age of under 19, most supporters from both sides would
have been expecting a win for the Windsor Park Blues so it was a surprise when
the youthful Glenavon defence, well marshalled by the superb Gavin McDonnell
held on for a draw.
The result did not really ease the Lurgan Blues play-off
worries, with Larne winning 3-1 at New Grosvenor thanks to a hat trick by former
Blue Aaron Black, but it did confirm Linfield as Carnegie Premier League
Champions for the 2006-2007 season.
David Jeffrey rotated his squad to rest some players ahead
of a vital Irish Cup Semi final next week and the Setanta Cup final the
following week. He was still able to field a strong starting eleven but was forced to make changes in the first half when first Kris Lindsay then Oran
Kearney had to be substituted. Lindsay appeared to pull a hamstring as he
stretched to intercept Gawley’s intelligent through ball into the run of Ward.
Kearney was later carried off on the stretcher when he picked up a serious
looking leg injury as McKerr won the ball in a tackle with him in the Glenavon
area.
Ward wasted a great chance for Glenavon when he hit a free
kick straight at the wall after the referee had adjudged McAreavey to have
handled the ball just the area.
In the 35th minute Thompson cut the ball back
from the left but McDonnell was cool in defence and managed to clear the danger.
The Champions went close to taking the lead in the 38th minute when Gawley’s
clearance rebounded off a Linfield player but Rice pulled off a brilliant reflex
save with McAreavey hitting the bar as the ball rebounded to him about 20 yards
out.
In
first-half stoppage time Harper won the ball in his own half and played a good
ball through to Havern but he was isolated and his only option was to shoot from
the corner of the area and his right foot effort didn’t have the power to
trouble Mannus.
In the second half Linfield continued to enjoy the bulk of
the possession but Glenavon still looked to pose a threat on the break. In the
56th minute Rice made a good save to turn O’Kane’s well struck shot wide, diving
to his left to push it away for a corner.
Glenavon had another decent chance in the 66th minute when
McDonnell brought the ball out of his own area and played a superb through ball
for Ward which caught out the Linfield defence but he elected to take the shot
early and Mannus made the save look fairly comfortable. Peter Thompson wasted
Linfield's best chance when he headed wide with the goal at his mercy.
Eleven minutes from the end saw a second yellow and the
mandatory red for Linfield skipper Paul McAreavey after he deliberately put the
ball into the Glenavon net with both hands!
Glenavon substitute Nathan McConnell tested Mannus with a
clever back heel which the Linfield keeper scrambled away for a corner at his
near post before Mark Dickson hit the post direct from a corner and in the dying
moments young Glenavon debutant Ciaran McGuigan somehow scrambled the ball away
while lying on his back in the six yard area.
"We Fought Like Tigers"
Speaking after the match, Colin Malone was immensely proud
of his players "I thought the work rate of the Glenavon players today was
exceptional. I know it was only a point but it could be so precious. I'm so
proud of them. Their effort today was outstanding in every area of the park. We
fought and fought like tigers all day. I'm very pleased for the players and for
the supporters who made the effort to come down and witness that.
"The players who came in, as young as they are, and
probably dead on their feet now, were absolutely tremendous. I'm so happy and so
pleased for them and obviously very proud of them. They have been on the fringe
of things and when you have a number of injuries it opens the door for them to
come in but to come in and play against the likes of Linfield is a different
kettle of fish to anything else and I think they've learned and gained a lot
from today's performance.
"That was our best today. We have held the Champions and
held them well. Some of the better chances, bar the Thompson header, fell to us
so we could have had a bit more had our luck been totally in.
"It's been a very difficult time for us but that gives us a
bit of heart and hope no matter what comes next week, we are more than capable
of looking after ourselves, come what may. We have to go to Armagh next week and
win and hope that Larne don't win. Obviously Paddy Kelly (DC Manager) would have
to do us a favour but we'll be going for a win next week and then take it from
there.
"We've taken a lot out of this game today, a lot, and, come
what may, should it be the play-offs, we are more than capable of dealing with
whatever comes our way.
17th April:
ANOTHER DERBY DEFEAT
Glenavon 1-4 Portadown
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| Nathan McConnell had his first start
since an ankle injury forced him out in January. |
Injuries and suspensions to key squad members forced Colin Malone to field a weakened side so it may have been no great
surprise that Portadown once again took the honours in the Mid-Ulster derby but
he was disappointed with the level of performance of some of his players. "It
was a hard ask today given the team we had to put out but the only time we
looked like doing something was when we were down 2-1. We had a couple of
chances, a few performances but not enough"
With Portadown having the best of the opening exchanges, former Glenavon
Under-16 striker Gary Liggett tested Paul Rice with a fierce shot from a narrow
angle that the Glenavon keeper turned around the post in the 8th minute after a
lively start by the visitors. Michael Collins and Marc McCann combined in the
12th minute but the former Glenavon winger dragged his shot across the goal as
he burst onto Collins’ pass.
Portadown took the lead in the 32nd minute when Collins nipped in at the near
post to side foot Redman’s cross past Rice.
Barry Meehan’s 37th minute shot from 25 yards gave Pressman an easy save but
seconds later Ward was unlucky when his shot from the corner of the area fizzed
inches wide of the post after a good pass from Bracken had played him in.
In the 44th minute Pressman spilled Ward’s shot and Harper got a touch to the
rebound but the Portadown keeper was able to smother the ball.
With the second half just three minutes old McKeown had a free header at the
back post after McCann sliced a shot from McCutcheon’s short free kick on the
left but the former Whites defender put it well wide.
Glenavon drew level with a 53rd minute penalty by Bracken after Craig brought
down Walsh as he tried to direct a cross back into the middle, the full back
being booked for the challenge but within two minutes Portadown forged ahead
again when McCutcheon side-footed Craig’s cross past Rice from four yards and
even though the keeper got a hand to it he couldn’t keep it out.
Liggett wasted a good chance in the 64th minute when he dragged a shot well
wide when well placed inside the Glenavon box and Rice made a tremendous save to
turn a fabulous long range strike by Braniff around the post as McMahon lay
injured after going down with what looked like a groin strain, the Glenavon
skipper having to go off moments later.
In the 68th minute Bracken collided on the line with Pressman as he tried to
force McDonnell’s header over the line after the centre half had nodded back
Walsh’s corner into the danger area before the ball was scrambled clear. The
unfortunate Glenavon striker also had to come off, with an ankle injury, to be
replaced by Marty Havern.
A 75th minute penalty was conceded by Conor McAnallen as he was adjudged to
have brought down McCann but a brilliant double save by Rice as he parried
Braniff’s spot kick and then turned Liggett’s follow-up header round the post
kept Glenavon hopes alive, for a time at least.
Ten minutes from time Ward struck a low shot a yard wide from 20 yards after
Magennis nodded down a cross and a minute later Havern did brilliantly to beat
two challenges and turn inside the box but somehow he put his shot inches wide
from just 8 yards.
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| Substitute Marty Havern went close
to a second equaliser as Glenavon trailed 1-2 in the second half |
Two Marc McCann goals inside the final five minutes sealed the victory for
the Ports. On 86 minutes McCutcheon played a great ball through to the McCann
who was onside and he ran on to calmly slot the ball past a helpless Glenavon
keeper. Two minutes from time Braniff’s glancing header from McCutcheon’s
free kick came back off the far post but McCann swooped at the other post to
slam the ball into the net.
After the match Colin Malone conceded that Portadown deserved the win "We
needed everybody really 'pushing the boat out' today but it didn't happen. I'm
not going to single out anyone but there were players certainly could have done
more today but it didn't happen.
"It will be a very very difficult game to go to Windsor next week and get a
result but all we can really do is assess the injury situation during the week
and see were we stand as far as personnel is concerned and prepare accordingly
but we are getting thin on the ground and we could be doing with our best
players out there.
"We'll not rush people back but we don't want to go to Windsor and let
ourselves down either."
PRESENTATIONS
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|
Gareth Buchanan and
Thomas Maguire, both players with Glenavon U16s, and team
manager Davy Maguire receive a new club kit, sponsored by
Mivan, from Harry Cherry. |
Leigh Livingstone,
vice chairperson of the Glenavon Victoria Supporters'
Club, presents Glenavon Under 16 manager Davy Maguire with
sponsorship to help defray costs of the youngsters'
participation in the Scotland Cup to be held in Ayr during
May. |
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|
The Glenavon
Victoria Supporters' Club's annual charity is the Southern
Area Fibromyalgia Group. Club office bearers Leigh
Livingstone and William Steele present a donation to Sally
Steele and Rosalind McKinley. |
Laura Collen
receives a bouquet of flowers from Audrey and Ellie Cowan
from Limavady, to thank her for all her work on behalf of
the parents of all the Glenavon mascots this season.
|
10th April: LAST MINUTE
HEARTBREAK
Going into this vital match, third placed Cliftonville was hard on the heels
of Glentoran with a UEFA Cup place at stake while Glenavon needed the points for
different reasons but, despite dominating the chances throughout, the home side
was denied even a share of the points by a last minute winner from Mark Holland.
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| Davy McAlinden and David Ward battle
for the ball |
Colin Malone drafted in young Michael McKerr to replace the injured Davy
Hawthorne with David Bracken returning up front after his one game suspension
but Neal Gawley failed to make the squad after picking up a thigh strain at
Seaview on Saturday. Glenavon set up with Ian Wallace and Gavin McDonnell at the
centre of defence allowing Marty Hunter a rare opportunity to move into
midfield in place of the suspended Conor Walsh. In the absence of Gawley David Ward reverted to the right of midfield
with McMahon and Bracken up front.
Sean Cleary’s 6th minute shot took a nasty bounce off the turf in front of
Rice and he did well to push it over the bar, in the only real meaningful action
of a scrappy opening 20 minutes. Harper’s 26th minute side-foot from the edge of
the area was straight into Connelly’s chest but it signalled a spell of Glenavon
pressure that produced a number of decent chances for the home side. McMahon did
brilliantly to flick Rice’s long ball over the head of McAlinden and strike a
left foot volley inches wide of the post.
In the 29th minute Bracken ran on to a great through ball and Connelly was
fortunate to just get enough on his powerful low shot to keep it out with Walsh
just unable to get to the ball as it spun up off the keeper at the back post.
Bracken then did well to break a tackle and fire a dipping shot just over the
bar from 30 yards. In the final minute of the half he put over a great cross
into the box for Ward but his shot from 8 yards was weak and an easy save for
the keeper.
In the second half Glenavon again created the best chances, with the Reds
seemingly happy to play the long ball game but Ronan Scannell did carry the ball
through a number of tackles to surge into the box but eventually he was forced
to run the ball out for a goal kick. Former Blues favourite Davy McAlinden had a
speculative shot from the centre circle in the 61st minute.
Ian Wallace put in an important challenge to deny Sweeney a chance to shoot
from the edge of the area in the 67th minute but, on 72 minutes, Sweeney nipped
in front of Wallace as Mark Holland’s cross dropped 10 yards out but he lifted
his shot over the bar when well placed.
McConnell created a great chance when turned his man wide on the right and
put in a superb low cross to the near post for Bracken. He made good contact
from 6 yards out but Connolly somehow saved brilliantly with his legs.
The winning goal came in the 90th minute from Mark Holland's deflected left
foot finish from just inside the box as Cliftonville put together a neat move on
the right and Holland cut across the edge of the box to run onto his brother
Barry's pass.
With the other results at the foot of the table it really was a heart
breaking result for the Lurgan Blues.
"That's probably been the hardest result to take
all season. We played very well on a difficult pitch and were positive in every
position, I thought. Paul Rice hardly had a notable save to make throughout the
90 minutes. I thought we were well on top, particularly in the first half,
weathered a bit of a storm in the second half but we thoroughly deserved to get
something out of this game.
|
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| Colin Malone was devastated to lose
to a last-minute goal |
"The lads put a lot of effort in and, as you'd expect, the changing room is very
quiet at the moment with a bunch of fellas who gave their all and got nothing
out of it.
"We created some good chances, especially David (Bracken) when Nathan put it on
a plate for him but it just wasn't to be, whatever reason you look for. It's
been down to bad luck at times and we've had our fill of it. With the other
results going against us it's made it a very difficult week but if we can show
this sort of resolve in the next couple of games hopefully we can get ourselves
out of it.
"We have to take the positives from this game, that we can compete with a top
two or three side and should have come away with at least a share of the spoils,
if not them all. We've played good games against the better sides and, come
Saturday, I wouldn't fear Portadown at all. If we can come up with that sort of
performance next week we've every chance of getting a result."
WELCOME HOME!
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| The William Walker
Glenavon Supporters' Club made a presentation to former
Glenavon player, Gerry Clarke , who has returned to the
province on holiday from his home in Australia. Included are
Norman Wallace, vice chairman, Danny Bell, Chris Gilkinson,
chairman, Gerry Clarke, and Davy Vennard. |
7th April: CRUES 1-1 GLENAVON
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| Gerard McMahon slides the opener
past a helpless Neil Armstrong |
After Davy Hawthorne was injured in the warm up Colin Malone was forced into a
quick reshuffle, promoting Ian Wallace to the starting line-up and restoring
Adrian Harper to a midfield role with Nathan McConnell starting on the bench
after his long spell out with an ankle injury.
A twice-taken free kick ultimately cost Glenavon all three points after skipper
Gerard McMahon had given his side the lead in the 36th minute with David Ward
providing the assist from Harper's throw in. Five minutes earlier David Rainey
had spurned a great chance for the home side when he side-footed across the goal
wide of the far post after a great ball from Stephen Shaw had set up the chance.
Crusaders had forced the first clear chance in the 7th minute when Chris
Morrow's back post header from Shaw's corner seemed to come back off the post
and two minutes later Rice held onto Larmour's deflected 18 yard shot. Conor
Walsh, playing in what could be his last game of the season, drew a save from
Armstrong with a long range effort in the 13th minute before Gargan for the home
side and Paul Walsh for Glenavon saw shots flash wide.
In the 33rd minute Paul Walsh's shot was blocked and David Ward forced the ball
through to McMahon but he fired over the bar from 6 yards out. The Glenavon
skipper made amends three minutes later when Ward again fed him in, this time
McMahon made no mistake with a cool finish into the bottom corner with the
outside of his right foot.
On the stroke of half time Glenavon had strong claims for a penalty waved away
by referee David Dunlop as Andy Hunter seemed to bring down Conor Walsh with a
clumsy challenge.
In a poor second half Larmour had the best chances for the hosts but he fired
straight at Rice from Tumelty's corner before McMahon was played in by Gawley
but, stretching, he couldn't get enough on his 18 yard shot to really trouble
Armstrong.
Crusaders scored a controversial equaliser after Rice had made a brilliant save
to tip McBride's initial left-footed free kick over the bar but the referee
ordered the kick to be re-taken. This time Bond took the kick with his right and
Rainey popped up at the back post to head in. In stoppage time Tumelty had a
chance to grab all three points but he blasted Barry Reid's cross over from 8
yards.
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