Swifts come out on top

The home side ran up a two goal lead at the break and despite a fightback in the second half Glenavon could not deny the home side all three points. Glenavon had a shout for a penalty inside the first two minutes when Eoin Bradley went down in the box but the ref waved play on. The home side opened the scoring on seven minutes and it was a real gift as keeper Alan Blayney failed to hold a corner by Tomelty and the ball seemed to drop over the line before Douglas Wilson made sure. The visitors had a chance to restore parity on 18 minutes when Rhys Marshall was chopped down but Kyle Neill’s effrot smashed into the wall and was cleared. Then Andy McGrory found some space inside the box but his shot on the turn was straight at Andy Coleman. Another mistake by Glenavon allowed Dungannon to double their lead, this time Shane McCabe’s header back was pounced on by Matt Heazley who drilled a low shot past Blayney. The second half saw Gary Hamilton and James Singleton come off the bench for Neill and McNally and it was Glenavon who began to finally get into the game. Two great chances fell to Ciaran Martyn, first he toe-poked over the bar from close in and then scooped the ball weakly at Coleman when it seemed easier to score. The goal Glenavon deserved finally came on 66 minutes and this time Martyn made no mistake as he let a pass from Singleton roll onto his right foot and then buried a low drive wide of Coleman. Glenavon had plenty of the ball at this stage but could not get in behind to create any chances of note until nine minutes from the end when Marshall’s header from Hamilton’s free kick was cleared off the line. The match was to end in controversy with Conor Dillon red carded in added time and then trouble flared between the players as they made their way off the pitch Glenavon: Blayney, McKeown, Neill, Bradley, Dillon, Caldwell, McGrory, McNally, McCabe, Martyn. Subs: Kilmartin, Hamilton, Singleton, Forsyth, McKendry.