GLENAVON MAKES IT THREE WINS FROM FOUR

Glenavon 3 Rathfriland Rangers 1

BOYLE Sports Championship

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Friday 28^th August 2026

Glenavon defeated Rathfriland Rangers 3-1 to make it ten points from twelve early in the BOYLE Sports Championship season.

Paddy Burns (36 mins), Ryan Waide (45 mins) and Brandon Doyle (65 mins) scored the Lurgan Blues’ goals. Reece Doyle (74 mins) replied for the County Down men.

Michael O’Connor’s team began brightly. In the second minute top scorer Ryan Waide unloaded a left foot shot from an acute angle which Ben McCauley did well to save at the foot of a post. Moments later, when Waide crossed from the left, Ethan Devine almost touched the ball into the net.

Jude Johnson and Jordan McMullan had shots blocked in another promising attack.

Johnson stretched to reach Glenavon captain Peter Campbell’s cross. The Glentoran loanee’s touch was saved easily by McCauley.

Paddy Burns failed to reach a cross from a corner-kick by Campbell. Had he made contact with his head he would almost certainly have scored.

Devine also nearly touched Waide’s dangerous cross past McCauley at the far post.

Luke McGerrigan’s weak shot was saved easily.

The breakthrough came when Burns was fouled close to the left touchline. Peter Campbell floated the ball to the near post for Paddy to head it past McCauley for his third goal of the season.

Ruari Fitzpatrick almost equalised for Rathfriland when his free kick attempt from 25 yards threatened Lorcan Donnelly’s goal. The Glenavon goalkeeper tipped the ball over the crossbar. It was his first meaningful involvement of the evening.

The home side extended its lead when Ryan Waide was bundled over by Brian Johnston on the edge of the six-yard box. Waide took the resultant penalty kick and confidently shot past McCauley.

Michael O’Connor’s team continued to dominate possession in the second half.

When McMullan crossed from the right, Campbell was inches wide as he stretched to shoot at the far post.

Then the Glenavon captain’s cross cum shot was inches too high.

The Richhill man was involved again when he slid a free kick into space for the unmarked Waide to shoot wide from 12 yards.

Substitute Brandon Doyle had been on the field for barely sixty seconds when Campbell set him free on the left. The former Ballyclare Comrades striker dribbled the ball into the penalty area before slotting it past McCauley from an acute angle.

Rathfriland pulled a goal back when Reece Doyle shot to the net from 6 yards after Adam Neale appeared to impede Donnelly as he attempted to catch a deflected cross.

Substitute Deaglan Healy shot into the side netting from Campbell’s cross.

In the closing minutes the Glenavon captain was just too high with a long-range effort.

GLENAVON: Donnelly, McMullan, Burns, Cartwright, Maguire, McGerrigan, Johnson, Watson, Devine, Waide, P. Campbell, SUBS: Byrne (not used), B. Doyle for Johnson (63 mins), Patton (not used), Healy for McGerrigan (74 mins), Henderson for Waide (74 mins), Quinn for Watson (74 mins), A. Doyle (not used).

Yellow Cards: Devine (41’), A. Doyle (76’).

RATHFRILAND RANGERS: McCauley, Barbour, McCune, Johnston, Beattie, Fitzpatrick, Neale, R. Doyle, Holloway, H. Campbell, Barr, SUBS: Dalzell (not used), Dobbin (not used), Corbett (not used), Brogan for McCune (83 mins), Teggart (not used), S. Lurring (not used), R. Lurring (not used).

Yellow Cards: Fitzpatrick (31’), Holloway (54’), H. Campbell (75’), Barbour (84’).

REFEREE: Gary Thompson (Newbuildings).