GLENAVON SCORES FOUR IN COMFORTABLE HOME WIN

Glenavon 4 Strabane Athletic 1

BOYLE Sports Championship

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Saturday 15th August 2026

Glenavon defeated Strabane Athletic 4-1 to make it two wins in five days at the start of the BOYLE Sports Championship season.

Ethan Devine (9 mins), Peter Campbell (21 mins), Ryan Waide (65 mins) and Brandon Doyle (78 mins) scored the Lurgan Blues’ goals. Sean McCallion (40 mins) replied for the County Tyrone outfit.

The Lurgan Blues started brightly and put the visitors’ defence under pressure. Ethan Devine’s header from Oran O’Kane’s cross was too high.

Jude Johnson breezes past Dylan Woods before delivering a first half cross from which Peter Campbell almost scored his second goal

They took the lead from the penalty spot when Devine confidently shot past Michael Lynch after Jude Johnson had been fouled by Declan Sharkey.

Bobby Sweeney’s attempt from distance was saved easily by Lorcan Donnelly.

Ryan Waide shot well over.

Glenavon doubled its advantage with a fine second goal. Jude Johnson released Waide on the right. The striker turned inside Bobby Sweeney before delivering a low cross to the back post for Peter Campbell to finish past Lynch.

Johnson made another penetrating break on the right and swept the ball across the face of goal but this time a stretching Campbell was unable to make a decisive connection.

When Waide burst into the penalty area on the left and cut the ball back, Ethan Devine was unable to get a touch at the near post.

Johnson let fly from 18 yards after making another break from deep, but Lynch dived to make the save.

Sean McCallion, Strabane’s best attacking player, exchanged passes with Bradley Callaghan before firing past Donnelly from 18 yards.

In the closing moments of the first half Peter Campbell shot against the defensive wall from a promising free kick situation on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area.

Early in the second half Campbell had two chances to extend Glenavon’s lead. First, he shot wide from 15yards after Johnson’s cross was deflected into his path. Second, following more good work by the Glentoran loanee, his attempt from 10 yards was charged down by a defender.

Paddy Burns headed over at the near post from Jude Johnson’s well taken corner-kick

Ryan Waide’s weak attempt from 20 yards was blocked.

When Luke Curry struck a low effort from the edge of the penalty area, Lorcan Donnelly dived to his left to palm it out for a corner-kick.

Waide scored Glenavon’s third goal. The number seven accepted a pass from Campbell, burst clear of Ryan Morrow, and coolly slotted the ball past Lynch.

Jude Johnson helped to create the home side’s fourth. The talented winger exchanged passes with substitute Mark Patton before beating Morrow and sliding a low cross for Brandon Doyle to side–foot into the net from a couple of yards.

Matthew Allen picked out Doyle with a neat pass but this time the former Ballyclare Comrades striker’s shot was deflected over the crossbar by a defender.

In the closing minutes Simon McGlynn shot well wide of the target.

Ryan Waide slides the ball past Michael Lynch for Glenavon’s third goal

Glenavon’s dominant second half display prevented any Strabane Athletic comeback and secured another vital three points.

GLENAVON: Donnelly, McMullan, O’Kane, Burns, Murphy, Quinn, Johnson, Watson, Devine, Waide, Campbell, SUBS: Byrne (not used), B. Doyle for Devine (76 mins), Patton for Quinn (41 mins), Cartwright for O’Kane (82 mins), Healy for Campbell (76 mins), Allenfor Johnson (82 mins), A. Doyle (not used).

Yellow Card: Watson (54’).

STRABANE ATHLETIC: Lynch, Morrow, O’Hagan, McMenamin, McCallion, Callaghan, McClintock, Sharkey, Curry, Woods, Sweeney, SUBS: Stewart (not used), McGlynn for Sharkey (69 mins), Deeney (not used), Doherty for Sweeney (69 mins), Burke for Callaghan (63 mins), Porter for Morrow (63 mins), Toland for McMenamin (83 mins).