GLENAVON HELD TO A DRAW BY ARDS

On Thursday 18^th July 2024 Glenavon drew 1-1 with Ards at Mourneview Park.

Stephen McDonnell fielded entirely different teams in each half.

New arrivals Barney McKeown, James Carroll, Rhys Marshall, David McDaid and Michael O’Connor all featured.

Gareth Deane started in goal.

Carroll, McKeown and Mark Haughey were central defenders and David Toure and Len O’Sullivan overlapping full backs.

Marshall and Jack Malone were midfielders. Peter Campbell played centrally in an advanced position. McDaid and O’Connor were twin strikers.

During the first half Glenavon dominated possession but created only a handful of clear-cut scoring opportunities.

David McDaid crossed from the left, but Michael O’Connor was unable to administer the coupe de grace at the far post.

Mark Haughey tested Gibbons with a fine header from Peter Campbell’s corner kick.

Jack Malone’s curled a free kick narrowly wide.

Glenavon took the lead in the 32^nd minute when James Carroll climbed high to power a header into net following Jack Malone’s inviting corner kick.

Ards only threatened on the counter. When Max Miller crossed from the right Corey McLaughlin miskicked standing 6 yards out with only the Deane to beat.

After half-time Glenavon’s new eleven continued to have the lion’s share of possession.

Cohen Henderson blasted over the crossbar from Matthew Snoddy’s cross and shot wide when he should have done better after Jamie Doran released him on the left.

Aaron Prendergast snatched at Doran’s cross under pressure from a defender.

Ards equalised in the 75^th minute when Lee Newell crossed low from the right, Byrne palmed the ball away, but McLaughlin shot into the net from close-range.

In the closing minutes the home side pushed for a winner. Henderson headed wide at the far post, Doran’s free kick was well saved by former Glenavon goalkeeper Marc Matthews, James Doona’s shot also tested the young custodian and, in injury-time, Prendergast headed over from Norton’s cross.

James Carroll was the sponsors’ player-of-the-match.

GLENAVON (FIRST HALF): G. Deane, Toure, Haughey, McKeown, Carroll, O’Sullivan, Marshall, Malone, McDaid, O’Connor, Campbell.

GLENAVON (SECOND HALF): Byrne, Norton, Quinn, R. Deane, Wiseman-McGee, Snoddy, Henderson, Smyth, Dornan, Doona, Prendergast.