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Glenavon 3-1 Cliftonville

Cliftonville fell to their first defeat in four Sports Direct Premiership games thanks largely to an insipid first-half display against Glenavon at Mourneview Park this afternoon.

Trailing 2-0 at the break following strikes from Michael O’Connor and Jack Malone, the Reds shipped a penalty early in the second period, with Davy McDaid converting to further extend the home side’s lead before Stephen McGuinness hit a stunning consolation in injury-time.

With his side facing a fourth game in 11 days – compared to this being the Lurgan Blues’ first competitive outing since their Irish Cup exit at Solitude a fortnight ago – boss Jim Magilton made two changes to the XI that had started against Carrick Rangers less than 72 hours earlier and, after surviving an early scare when Len O’Sullivan headed over from a promising position, Cliftonville should have taken the lead when an error from home goalkeeper Tadhg Ryan presented the ball to Ryan Curran, who teed up Alex Parsons for a chance the Australian was unable to steer the right side of the crossbar.

An injury to Curran would soon have a particularly detrimental effect on the Reds, who fell behind when temporarily down to 10 men; O’Connor helping Glenavon make the most of their numerical advantage to drill low and hard beyond Lewis Ridd.

A Parsons miscue after good build-up play down the left proved the visitors’ best chance of levelling before Malone doubled Glenavon’s advantage with a well-timed lob from just inside the area, while Parsons again went close to reducing the arrears just before half-time with a free-kick that clipped the outside of the post.

Though Cliftonville began the second period with more purpose, Jack Keaney’s foul on David Toure allowed McDaid to make it 3-0 from the penalty spot, with the Reds pulling one back at the finish when McGuinness – one of five young Academy graduates on the pitch for Magilton’s side at the end of the game – found the top corner from distance.

Cliftonville: Ridd, Casey, Keaney, McGuinness, Kearney, Pepper (Gordon, 59 mins), Lowe (Graham, 59 mins), Glynn (Corrigan, 46 mins), Parsons 7 (Wilson, 82 mins), Hale 6, Curran 6 (Ojo, 28 mins). Unused subs: Odumosu, Addis.