GLENAVON PAYS THE PENALTY FOR MISSED CHANCES

GLENAVON PAYS THE PENALTY FOR MISSED CHANCES 366w31

Glenavon 1 Carrick Rangers 1 6l3f54

Sports Direct Irish Premiership 6p2b29

Mourneview Park, Lurgan

Saturday 26th October 2024

A late header by David McDaid earned Glenavon a share of the spoils against Carrick Rangers. Visitors’ goalkeeper Ben McCauley, on the field because Ross Glendinning had been sent off at the end of the first half, saved Jack Malone’s 75th minute penalty-kick. Then substitute David Cushley gave the East Antrim men ashock 89th minute lead only for the home side to equalise less than sixty seconds later.

Stephen McDonnell will feel frustrated because his charges started brightly, played good football throughout and completely dominated the second 45 minutes.However, a combination of disciplined defending by the opposition and poor finishing meant that Glenavon had to be satisfied with one point rather than three.

In the fourth minute, when Niall Quinn’s excellent early cross was partially cleared, Michael O’Connor let fly but his shot was blocked. Two minutes later Quinn, Campbell and O’Connor combined well on the left. However, when the cross came in, Peter Campbell was unable to get a shot away and the chance was gone.

David McDaid, one of Glenavon’s best performers, released Len O’Sullivan on the left. He burst into the penalty area but his cross cum shot went inches wide of the far post.

McDaid broke again on the left and pulled the back to Matthew Snoddy. The Belfast man’s well struck effort was blocked and eventually cleared.

At the other end Nedas Maciulatis and Joe Crowe both had attempts blocked. Then the two men combined well, with Maciulatis blasting the ball wide from the left side of the penalty area. Paul Heatley also saw an effort strike a defender.

Ross Glendinning was forced to stretch to tip Niall Quinn’s cross over the crossbar. Then the excellent Matthew Snoddy timed his jump perfectly to head Kurtis Forsythe’s effort clear from almost on the goal-line.

David McDaid spurned Glenavon’s best opportunity of the half when he skilfully controlled O’Connor’s long , turned inside a defender but dragged the ball wide.

Less than two minutes later McDaid was centre stage again when O’Connor released him. Faced with the onrushing Glendinning, the former Larne and Coleraine striker elected to chip rather than dribble. However, the tall goalkeeper stretched to interrupt the ball’s progress. But, in doing so, he had strayed outside the penalty-area. Referee Declan Hassan immediately awarded a free kick and issued a straight red card. Carrick withdrew Mark Surgenor, injured earlier in the contest, and brought on substitute keeper Ben McCauley.

Niall Quinn took the free kick and was only inches wide with his left foot attempt.

Glenavon, playing against ten men, started the second half well. McDaid, O’Sullivan and Quinn combined on the left with the former Linfield defender shooting just over with his weaker right foot.

Then Quinn delivered a fine cross which Michael O’Connor headed narrowly wide at the far post.

When Malone crossed from the left Quinn let fly from eight yards. The ball seemed goal bound but a defender made a vital interception.

David Toure crossed from the right. When the ball broke to Malone, he shot over the crossbar.

David McDaid turned sharply inside the box, but his shot was blocked.

When substitute Keith Ward’s shot was charged down by a defender, referee Hassan awarded Glenavon a penalty kick. Jack Malone stepped forward. However, Ben McCauley dived to his right to make a fine save.

Glenavon continued to push forward in search of a goal. When Snoddy shot from 12 yards, a defender used his body to block the ball. Then Snoddy found substitute James Doona on the edge of the six-yard box. The Dubliner turned into a wall of bodies and his attempt was cleared.

Suddenly, with barely a minute left and completely against the run of play, 10-man Carrick was handed a chance to win the match. Referee Hassan pointed to the spot after Peter Campbell handled inadvertently. Substitute Cushley stepped forward and confidently shot past Gareth Deane.

Less than sixty second later, Glenavon equalised. When Chris Atherton’s misdirected shot fell to Campbell on the left by-line, he clipped the ball back into the six–yard box and McDaid headed past McCauley.

GLENAVON: Deane, Toure, O’Sullivan, McKeown, Carroll, Snoddy, Malone, McDaid, Campbell, O’Connor, Quinn, SUBS: Byrne (not used), Doona for Quinn (79 mins), Lynch (not used), Atherton for O’Connor (60 mins), Ward for Toure (60 mins), Doran (not used), McGovern (not used).

Yellow Card: Atherton (73’).

CARRICK RANGERS: Glendinning, Forsythe, Surgenor, McCullough, Clucas, Buchanan-Rolleston, Cherry, Maciulatis, Crowe, Heatley, Gibson, SUBS: McCauley for Surgenor (45+3 mins), Cushley for Cherry (35 mins), Allen for Gibson (87 mins), McGuckin (not used), Andrews (not used), Given for Clucas (87 mins), Trimble (not used).