Grant gets a double as Blues sink Swifts

DUNGANNON SWIFTS 1

GLENAVON got back to winning ways on Tuesday night with an exciting 2-1 victory over Dungannon Swifts at Mourneview Park.

The Blues had opened the scoring five minutes after the break through Tony Grant and after Timmy Adamson levelled matters, it was Grant who scored the winner, just two minutes after Dungannon’s equaliser.

Dixie Robinson’s men could have considered themselves unfortunate to leave empty handed having enjoyed much of the game’s possession but Grant’s brace, coupled with some good goalkeeping by Andy Plummer, ensured that Glenavon returned to winning ways after the loss to Ballymena United.

Boss Marty Quinn kept the same team that couldn’t find the net in that match and early in this one it looked like it may be the same story with neither team really threatening the opposition goalkeeper.

However in the sixth minute, Timmy Adamson should have troubled Andy Plummer when he spun and shot right across goal from close range after Fergal McAlliskey had found himself in space on the right wing.

The best of the early chances at the other end fell to Ryan Harpur but he headed Stuart King’s cross wide before chesting down Kyle Neill’s and shooting over the bar.

On 24 minutes, Andy Plummer was again breathing a sigh of relief due to poor finishing when Ryan McIlmoyle’s corner bobbled about the Glenavon penalty area before being prodded wide by Michael Ward.

Timmy Adamson then headed McIlmoyle’s free-kick over the bar before both he and Michael Ward came close to nodding home another of the winger’s crosses that flew across goal.

At the other end, Mark Miskimmin had fired Trevor Molloy’s low ball wide at the near post before scuffing a volley into the grateful Sean O’Neill’s arms after good work by Stuart King on the left wing.

All of those missed opportunities were forgotten after 50 minutes though, as Tony Grant put the home side into the lead. Again it came from a Stuart King cross, which Grant did well to head down into the net past a helpless O’Neill.

The Blues could even have doubled their lead soon after but Ryan Harpur’s header flew wide and Dermot McCaffrey did exceptionally well to nip the ball off Tony Grant’s toe just before the striker looked to fire Conor Walsh’s through ball at goal.

After that, Dungannon began to gain more and more possession and looked increasingly likely to peg back Glenavon’s lead. On 67 minutes, Stefan Lavery’s through ball found Timmy Adamson onside but a heavy touch from the striker under pressure from Jay Magee allowed Andy Plummer to gather with ease.

However, after Trevor Molloy had fired a 25 yard effort into Sean O’Neill’s arms, Dungannon did get their deserved equaliser and it was the typically threatening Timmy Adamson that got it. Former Blue Johnny Topley lofted a free-kick into the box and the striker rose to power a header past Andy Plummer despite the keeper getting a hand on the ball.

Their joy was to be short-lived however, and just two minutes later, Grant regained the lead for his side. The move began when substitute James Costello seized on a loose Dungannon pass on the edge of their own area. The Rathfriland man skipped into the box before sliding the ball to Trevor Molloy who jinked past his marker and unleashed a shot at goal. O’Neill could only parry the effort but unfortunately for the keeper, it went straight up in the air and down to Grant who couldn’t miss from less than a yard out.

It could have been an even livelier few minutes but for Andy Plummer who made a fantastic save to deny Timmy Adamson what would have a carbon copy of his goal, again from Topley’s free-kick, in the 83rd minute.

As the game drew to a somewhat nervy finish, it was Adamson who was threatening to spoil the party but his sharply dipping 40 yard effort dropped onto the roof of the net.

The Blues then saw out the victory after a cautious three minutes of injury time and will be delighted to continue their good form ahead of Saturday’s ‘first v second’ game against early league leaders Glentoran.

Glenavon: Plummer, Shannon, Neill, Magee, McDonagh, Harpur (Johnston 80), Walsh, Grant, King, Miskimmin (Costello 75), Molloy. Unused subs: C. Lavery, Harper, Haughey

Dungannon Swifts: O’Neill, McAliskey (S. Lavery 46), McMinn, McCaffrey, McClean, Fitzpatrick, McCluskey (Murphy 85), Topley, Ward, McIlmoyle (Coney 67), Adamson. Unused subs: Ferguson, Forker.