Ballinamallard United 2 Glenavon 2

Saturday 22nd July 2023

Glenavon fell behind early against Ballinamallard United and, in the end, had to be satisfied with a 2-2 draw. The Lurgan Blues had the lion’s share of possession throughout but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.

The visitors’ goalscorers were Peter Campbell (27 mins) and Andy Mooney (51 mins). Josh McIlwaine (12 mins) and John Edgar (68 mins) were the men on target for the home side.

Conor McCloskey, recovering from a hamstring tear, played the entire second half and did not appear to have any adverse reaction.

Despite constant driving rain, the game was played on a fine playing surface.

The Mallards took the lead when McIlwaine headed an Aaron Harkin free kick past Rory Brown.

Glenavon equalised when Aaron Prendergast intercepted an Aaron Harbinson back pass and picked out Peter Campbell with a perfect pass. The talented left winger coolly slotted the ball into the net from close-range.

The Lurgan Blues fielded a much changed eleven in the second half. Two of the substitutes combined when Conor Kerr crossed for Andy Mooney to score with a neat diving header.

Ballinamallard scored its second goal at the midway point of the half. Edgar found space between central defenders Danny Wallace and Sean Ward and beat Brown with a brilliant right foot shot.

United created several other openings. Jamie Dunne tested the Glenavon goalkeeper with an accurate shot from 8 yards and Calum Moorhouse directed an effort just past an upright. At the other end Conor McCloskey blasted a free kick over the crossbar from 20 yards.

GLENAVON: Brown, Snoddy, Lynch, Wallace, Deane, Malone, Baird, Henderson, Teggart, Prendergast, Campbell, SUBS: Kerr for Snoddy (half-time), Ward for Lynch (half-time), Mulvenna for Baird (half-time), Garrett for Teggart (half-time), Nesbitt for Prendergast (half-time), Mooney for Henderson (half-time), McCloskey for Campbell (half-time), Purvis for Brown (80 mins) andPrendergast for Malone (80 mins).