GLENAVON DEFEATS BALLYMENA IN FINAL HOME FIXTURE 5a563k
Glenavon 2 Ballymena United 0 3u643u
Sports Direct Irish Premiership 6p2b29
Mourneview Park, Lurgan
Saturday 19th April 2025
Glenavon defeated Ballymena United 2-0 in its final home fixture of the season.
Peter Campbell (60 mins) and substitute Luke McGerrigan (90+5 mins) scored the goals.
Paddy McLaughlin’s men started well and dominated the first half.
Campbell, a threat throughout, had a shot blocked after a quick throw in by Michael O’Connor.
Matthew Snoddy found Campbell with a sweeping . The Richhill man delivered a brilliant low cross, but Paul McGovern was unable to get a touch.
O’Connor released Davy McDaid with a deft flick. The former Coleraine striker turned adroitly on the edge of the penalty area but shot inches over the crossbar.
McDaid turned provider when he found Len O’Sullivan with a neat . The Dubliner, with a clear sight of goal, hit the target but Sean O’Neill made a comfortable save.
Moments later David Toure shot well wide.
McDaid released Paul McGovern on the left. The Newry teenager made a fine run before testing O’Neill from an acute angle. The goalkeeper saved well.
In the 32nd minute James Hood shot weakly allowing Tadhg Ryan to make an easy stop. It was Ballymena’s first goal attempt.
Peter Campbell was badly off target with an effort from distance.
Kian Corbally shot wide after good work by Calvin McCurry.
Campbell blasted the ball over the bar after playing a neat one-two with O’Connor.
Harry Murphy’s near post header from Campbell’s corner-kick was saved easily by O’Neill.
McCurry burst through on the left but, from an almost impossible angle, shot into the side netting.
At the start of the second half, Conor Barr’s ambitious hooked attempt from inside the penalty area was saved easily by the Glenavon goalkeeper.
Referee Ross Dunlop awarded the home side a free kick on the edge of Ballymena’s penalty area after Harry Murphy had been fouled by Aaron Jarvis. Peter Campbell’s shot went through the wall taking a slight deflection off a defender and flew past O’Neill.
During the final ten minutes Ballymena had its only spell of pressure.
Corbally shot well wide from the edge of the box.
Tadhg Ryan easily saved substitute Joe Moore’s effort from distance.
Daniel Lafferty found Ethan Devine on the left with a fine . When the striker crossed with his right foot, Luke Hawe let fly from 6 yards with his right foot. Somehow Ryan kept the ball out. Rhy Marshall blocked Aaron Jarvis’s follow up attempt.
Peter Campbell crossed from the right, Marshall headed on, and Chris Atherton flicked the ball just wide at the near post.
Glenavon sealed the win with a goal in the final seconds. Atherton dribbled the ball from the edge of his own penalty area to the halfway line and released Campbell on the right. The winger cut inside and delivered a perfectly timed to Luke McGerrigan who beat O’Neill with a right foot shot.
GLENAVON: Ryan, Toure, O’Sullivan, Wilson, Murphy, Lynch, McGovern, Snoddy, O’Connor, McDaid, Campbell, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Marshall for McDaid (67 mins), Atherton for O’Connor (67 mins), McKeown (not used), Carlin for Wilson (90 mins), A. Heaney (not used), McGerrigan for McGovern (90 mins).
Yellow Cards: None.
BALLYMENA UNITED: O’Neill, Jarvis, Lafferty, Loughran, McCallion, Corbally, Flynn, Barr, McCurry, Edogun, Hood, SUBS: Johnston (not used), Moore for Hood (78 mins), Devine for McCurry (78 mins), Hawe for Edogun (67 mins), Idehen (not used, Phinn (not used), Munnis (not used).
Yellow Card: Hood (50’).
REFEREE: Ross Dunlop.
