GLENAVON DEFEATS NEWINGTON 4-2 IN IRISH CUP

Glenavon came from behind twice to defeat Newington 4-2 after extra time at Mourneview Park and book a trip to North Belfast to face Cliftonville in the Clearer Water Irish Cup 6^th Round.

Paul McGovern (53 mins), Peter Campbell (90+4 mins), Nathaniel Ferris (103 mins) and Gavin Gilmore (110 mins) scored the goals for Mick O’Connor’s side. Darren Stuart (22 mins) and Ruaidhri Donnelly (78 mins) were on target for the Belfast men.

The Lurgan men were in the ascendancy for almost the entire match but struggled to turn possession into goals. Newington took the lead midway through the first half when Nathan Watters found space on the right and crossed low for Darren Stuart to side foot the ball past Mark Byrne. Paul McGovern equalised early in the second period with a brilliant right foot shot after Jordan McMullan had laid the ball off to him on the edge of the penalty area.

Newington regained the lead when Ruaidhri Donnelly beat Byrne from 25 yards with a brilliant free kick. Glenavon drew level for a second time deep in stoppage time. After his initial cross had been blocked, Nathaniel Ferris delivered the ball back into the penalty area and substitute Peter Campbell sidestepped Watters before shooting past Rian Brown from 12 yards.

Loan signing Ferris put Glenavon ahead fourteen minutes into extra time when he headed Campbell’s corner kick past Brown at the near post. Gavin Gilmore administered the coup de gras with a composed touch and finish from 16 yards after Michael Harkin released him with a well weighted pass.

In the closing minutes Glenavon substitute Harkin was sent off by referee Michael McKenna following a clash with Aaron Corish. The official may have adjudged the teenager to have been guilty of making a dangerously high tackle. Moments later Nathaniel Ferris limped off with cramp forcing the home side to see out the last five minutes with nine men.

The extent of Glenavon’s superiority is evident from the corner count. It was awarded 12 corners; Newington won just one.

Paddy Burns, who moved from centre back to left back as Barney McKeown returned to the middle of the back four, felt that Glenavon merited the win. “We were not at our best tonight but over the 120 minutes we were the better side and deserved to go through,” said the County Antrim man. “We didn’t take Newington for granted. We thought that they would sit in in a low block and make it difficult for us. When they scored the first goal it got even harder. But, after Paul McGovern equalised, I thought that we would go on and get a second. Then Ruaidhri Donnelly put them back in front with one of the best free kick goals I have seen live. We showed a lot of character to score a second equaliser as late as we did. Thankfully, our quality shone through in extra time and we went on to win.”

Nathanial Ferris, who joined Glenavon on loan from Glentoran a week ago, also thought that it was a deserved success. “I thought that we controlled the match more or less from the first whistle,” said the Magheralin man. “We had three or four chances in the opening twenty minutes but didn’t take any of them. If we had scored at that stage, the tie might have been straightforward. Then they scored against the run of play, and we had to dig in and battle to get back into the tie. We did that through Paul McGovern, but Ruaidhri Donnelly scored probably the best free kick goal I have ever seen to put them back in front. After that it was all about character and determination. It took us 120 minutes but, in the end, we got through. We are in the next round. At the end of the day that is all that matters.”

Some astute thinking helped Ferris to plunder the crucial third goal. “Peter Campbell delivered a great cross to the near post from a corner kick five minutes before I scored, but I wasn’t there to head it in. So, second time round, I made sure that I was in the right place and nodded it home. It was one of the simplest headed goals I have got in a long time.”

The striker was, however, disappointed that he did not convert an opportunity in the closing minutes of normal time. “When the ball came to me, I had a clear sight of goal and I struck the ball exactly the way I wanted to but, unfortunately, I directed it a few inches wide. I could probably have just hit it and it would have gone in. Fortunately, when I got another chance, I put it in the net. I am not too worried about the one that got away.”

Gavin Gilmore, who scored the fourth goal, reckoned that although Glenavon deserved to win, it was not a quality performance. “I thought that we were sloppy in the first half,” he reflected. “We went in a goal behind and, although Paul [McGovern] brought us level with a great finish, we were still not moving the ball well enough. It was backs to the wall when they scored their second. However, after that, the team showed great courage and Peter [Campbell] rescued us with his late equaliser. In extra time fitness came into it. We were the Premiership team. Nathaniel [Ferris] got the third with a little header and I slotted away the fourth. After that it was about being compact and not giving anything away. Although we made hard work of it, we got there in the end. In cup football, getting through is all that matters.”

Gilmore was understandably delighted to find the net on his debut. “I can’t remember who played me in. Whoever It was, it was a great pass,” he explained. “I knew that a defender was coming back so I moved the ball onto my left foot and stroked it into the corner. It was all about staying composed and making a good connection. It was great to score at that end of the stadium. When I was at the Dungannon match a few weeks ago, I thought to myself that I would love to find the net there. It was where most of the fans were. They came out in numbers tonight and really got behind us.”

The McCracken’s Brewery Glenavon “Player of the Match” was Paul McGovern.

The Clearer Water Irish Cup sixth round clash with Cliftonville will be staged at Solitude on the weekend of 7^th February 2026.

GLENAVON: Byrne, McMullan, Burns, Murphy, McKeown, Mallon, Wilson, Lindsay, Ferris, McGovern, Quinn, SUBS: Campbell for Mallon (half time), McCleland for Burns (97 mins), Kee (not used), Gilmore for Quinn (65 mins), Harkin for Lindsay (65 mins), Carlin for McKeown (87 mins), McGerrigan for McGovern (111 mins).