Heavy defeat as Glenavon exit cup

Conor Dillon celebrates his goal - the only bright note for Glenavon on a dismal night.

The Glens took a firm grip of the tie just before the break when Glenavon were reduced to ten men after Conor Dillon was send off for a hand ball offence and the visitors never looked back after scoring from the resultant penalty.

Glenavon almost grabbed the lead on four minutes after a scramble in the Glens box following a long throw by Gareth McKeown. The ball hit Hamilton a yard out, then Kris Lindsay tried to stab the ball home but with too many bodies in the way it was cleared.

The Glens responded with Steven Gordon lobbing the ball over the keeper but the bar came to McGrath’s rescue.

However, the Glenavon stopper was beaten on eight minutes when Curtis Allen curled a free kick low round the wall and into the corner of the net.

Gordon should have doubled the lead when Garrett nodded the ball to him in front of goal but he scooped his shot straight to McGrath.

Glenavon finally got going with a neat build-up, the ball finally fell to Kilmartin who connected well but his shot clipped the top of the bar.

The home side were back in it on 17 minutes when a deep free kick from Hamilton was nodded back by Lindsay, Ciaran Martyn’s header came back off the bar but Conor Dillon was quick to pounce to drill the ball home.

Hamilton got behind the back line thanks to a pass from McKeown but neither he or supporting Braniff could make the chance count.

Four minutes before the break referee Colin Burns awarded Glentoran a penalty and red carded Conor Dillon for deliberate hand ball. Fra McCaffrey drilled the spot kick home to give the Glens a half-time lead.

The next goal was crucial in the tie and it went to the visitors with McCaffrey ghosting past two markers before getting the ball onto his right foot to curl a low shot into the far corner.

Glenavon tried to respond and Martyn had a shot pushed away for a corner and when it came in sub Rhys Marshall’s header was cleared off the line by Jim O’Hanlon.

Jordan Stewart added more misery for the home fans when he rounded McGrath to make it 4-1 on 80 minutes and there was still time for McCaffrey to grab his hat-trick on 85 minutes.

Glenavon: McGrath, McKeown, Neill, Lindsay, Martiin, Hamilton, Dillon, Caldwell, Braniff, Martyn, Singleton.

Subs: McCallion, McGrory, Forsyth, Marshall, Foley.