GLENAVON SUCCUMBS TO CLIFTONVILLE AT SOLITUDE 1z3d73

Cliftonville 2 Glenavon 0 1g3h5y

Sports Direct Irish Premiership 6p2b29

Solitude, Belfast

Saturday 12th April 2025

A disappointing second half display by Glenavon led to only its second away league defeat since December. Ryan Curran (52 mins) and Eric Lemond McWoods (73 mins) scored Cliftonville’s goals.

The first half was virtually devoid of goalmouth action.

Jack Malone’s wayward shot in the 17th minute was the first attempt.

Ryan Curran fired past a post and then, moments later, sent Mark Byrne diving to his right with a deft header from Shea Kearney’s cross. The Newry keeper made a fine save. From the resultant corner kick, the centre forward’s third attempt in barely three minutes went wide.

Micheal Glynn picked out Kearney with an accurate cross, but the winger flicked the ball past a post.

Malone hobbled off with an ankle injury in the closing moments of the opening period. Rhys Marshall replaced him.

Kearney fashioned the opening goal early in the second half. He broke on the right and found Curran with an accurate cross. The number nine beat Byrne with a header which crept inside the far post.

Glynn forced Byrne to move sharply to his left to tip an accurate attempt over the crossbar.

Cliftonville scored its second goal after Len O’Sullivan misdirected a cross from the left. The home side moved the ball quickly into midfield. Coran Madden released McWoods on the right. The substitute took a touch before shooting past Byrne.

Moments later Madden had a chance to make it three, but he fired over the crossbar with Byrne out of position.

In the closing seconds teenager Ben Wilson’s effort went too high.

Cliftonville’s improved second half performance was enough to secure the points.

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Pepper, Stewart, Kearney, Lowe, Glynn, Casey, Keaney, McGuinness, Curran, Parsons, SUBS: Ridd (not used), Addis for Casey (70 mins), Hale for Pepper (70 mins), Gormley (not used), McWoods for Parsons (58 mins), Corrigan for Curran (70 mins), Madden for Stewart (58 mins).

Yellow Cards: Pepper (44’), Hale (80’).

GLENAVON: Byrne, Toure, O’Sullivan, McKeown, Murphy, Wilson, McGovern, Carlin, McDaid, Malone, Atherton, SUBS: Ryan (not used), Marshall for Malone (45+2 mins), Snoddy (not used), Campbell for Atherton (55 mins), Lynch for Murphy (70 mins), O’Connor for McDaid (70 mins), A. Heaney for McGovern (70 mins).

Yellow Cards: Toure (39’), Marshall (52’).

REFEREE: Louise Thompson.