WAIDE HAT-TRICK HELPS GLENAVON TO SECURE AN EMPHATIC WIN AT THE NEWRY SHOWGROUNDS

Newry City 1 Glenavon 4

BOYLE Sports Championship

The Showgrounds, Newry

Tuesday 11^th August 2026

Glenavon bounced back from Saturday’s opening day defeat with an emphatic 4-1 victory against Newry City.

New signing Ryan Waide (9, 77, 83 mins) took the plaudits with a brilliant hat-trick. Paddy Burns (64 mins) scored the visitors’ other goal. Pablo Andrade (28 mins) was on target for the home side.

Michael O’Connor’s men were in control for extended periods, particularly during the first half. At times Newry was on top but failed to turn its possession into goals.

Although Lorcan Donnelly was forced to save Ryan Swan’s early attempt from 12 yards, the Lurgan side made the more positive start.

Harry Murphy’s header from Peter Campbell’s corner kick was blocked and cleared.

In the eighth minute Peter Campbell shot past Jason Craughwell from Jordan McMullan’s cross, but his opportunist strike was disallowed for offside.

Less than sixty seconds later Ryan Waide burst into the penalty area and pushed the ball to his left for Campbell to drag it back across the face of goal. The former Carrick Rangers striker shot past Craughwell from 6 yards.

Andrew Hoey blasted over from distance.

Caolan Marron was wide with a daisy-cutter from 20 yards.

When Waide and Campbell exchanged passes, the Richhill man let fly from eight yards, but Craughwell moved quickly to make a fine save.

Waide should have extended Glenavon’s lead when Campbell found him unmarked ten yards out. This time the Newry goalkeeper dived to his left to make another excellent stop.

A quick break on the right led to Newry’s equaliser. Ryan Swan slipped a pass to Scott McCullough who unloaded from an acute angle. Harry Murphy blocked the attempt with his legs, but the ball fell to Pablo Andrade and the Portuguese blasted it past Donnelly high into the net.

Jamie Rea shot over from distance.

When McMullan’s attempted headed clearance fell to Swan he shot against the base of a post from eight yards.

Rea’s attempt from a free kick 20 yards out was saved easily by Donnelly.

Harry Murphy found Campbell on the left. The Richhill delivered an inviting cross to the unmarked Ethan Devine. However, the former Dundela man was unable to control the ball and Craughwell gathered.

Luke McGerrigan made a surging run from deep but his pass to Jude Johnson was slightly overhit and the Newry goalkeeper was able to palm the ball out for a corner kick.

Darren King shot wildly over from distance.

Glenavon continued to offer the more potent attacking threat at the start of the second half.

McGerrigan’s shot was blocked on the edge of the penalty area.

Devine was off target with an ambitious attempt from 35 yards.

Niall Quinn’s quickly taken free kick found Peter Campbell in space behind the Newry defence. However, his weak left foot shot was straight at Craughwell.

Ryan Waide’s header from 15 yards was caught by the Newry goalkeeper.

Glenavon was awarded a free kick close to the left touchline after Newry substitute Albert Watson fouled Ethan Devine. Campbell took the kick. He delivered an inviting cross to the near post for Paddy Burns to guide the ball past Craughwell with the side of his head.

Twelve minutes later the visitors consolidated their lead. When Niall Quinn hit a brilliant through ball Ryan Waide beat the offside trap with a perfectly timed run. Bearing down on goal he skilfully rounded the Newry goalkeeper and let fly from an acute angle. Although Caolan Marron, under pressure from Ethan Devine, tried to clear the danger he only succeeded in ensuring that the ball crossed the goal line.

Swan released substitute Lorcan Forde on the right. With only Donnelly to beat, the much-travelled striker shot high over the crossbar.

Ryan Waide completed a memorable hat-trick with the best goal of the night. The frontman mis-controlled the ball 35 yards out but stretched to connect ahead of a defender’s challenge and unleashed an unstoppable shot which was behind Craughwell before he had time to move.

In the closing minutes Lorcan Donnelly made fine saves from McCullough’s right foot effort and Alex McAlister’s header.

Glenavon substitute Alex Watson should have extended his team’s lead when Waide put him through on the right. This time Craughwell caught the teenager’s lofted attempt.

Michael O’Connor and his coaches will be delighted with the Lurgan Blues’ reaction to the Ards defeat.

NEWRY CITY: Craughwell, King, Rea, Marron, Swan, McEntaggart, Hoey, Andrade, Dalton, McCullough, Poynton, SUBS: McKeown (not used), Watson for King (55 mins), Chambers (not used), Newell for Dalton (79 mins), Forde for Hoey (69 mins), McAlister for Poynton (69 mins), Smith for McEntaggart (79 mins).

Yellow Cards: King (44’), Hoey (53’), Marron (77’).

GLENAVON: Donnelly, McMullan, O’Kane, Burns, Murphy, Quinn, Johnson, McGerrigan, Devine, Waide, Campbell, SUBS: Byrne (not used), B. Doyle for Devine (83 mins), Patton for McGerrigan (84 mins), Cartwright for Campbell (84 mins), Healy (not used), Watson for Johnson (72 mins), A. Doyle (not used)

Yellow Cards: Devine (44’), McMullan (45+2’).

REFEREE: Conor Murphy.