A last minute change for Glenavon with Andrew Doyle picking up an injury in the warmup. Gary Muir comes in and starts at left back with James Singleton moving to centre back.

Newry got off to a flying start but it was Glenavon who opened the scoring after 21 minutes when Muir slotted in from the penalty spot after Andy Coleman was adjudged to have tripped Mark Sykes.

Steo Donnelly made it 2-0  in the 34th minute when he beat Coleman to a ball from Sykes down the right channel and hooked the ball past the former Glenavon keeper despite the efforts of a defender the on the line.

Stephen Teggart scored a minute before the interval when Newry counterattacked and Mark Hughes played in the striker who beat Jonny Tuffey at his near post with a left foot shot to make it 1-2 at half time.