BetMcLean Cup semi-final
Glenavon 0 Portadown 1
CHAMPIONSHIP side Portadown stunned Glenavon, beating their mid-Ulster rivals in their own backyard to reach the Bet McLean Cup final.
A Ryan Mayse penalty separated the neighbours and Niall Currie’s side will now meet Linfield at Windsor Park in March.
Stephen McDonnell’s home side ultimately weren’t clinical enough when it mattered.
A stop-start opening period offered few chances, with the Mayse going close on 12 minutes when Eamon Fyfe’s cross found the striker. However, his first-touch let him down and his shot was easily dealt with by Mark Byrne.
Danny Wallace headed wide for the Lurgan men a short time later from a James Doona free-kick.
Portadown went in front when they were awarded a penalty as they hit Glenavon on the counter attack.
Zach Barr bore down on goal but Byrne raced out and brought the former Newington man down, earning a booking for his trouble. Mayse dispatched the spot-kick.
Glenavon came close to levelling five minutes from the break when right-back David Toure whipped a pin-point cross onto the edge of the six-yard box. It was at the right height for Gavin Hodgins, but Aaron Hogg was at full stretch to deny the striker.
Hodgins had another headed chance at the end of the first half from a Jack Malone cross, but on this occasion he turned the ball wide of the target.
Fyfe might feel he should have added a second on 54 minutes when Mayse turned provider with a low cross. Fyfe side-footed his shot over the bar from close range.
Malone then almost levelled in spectacular fashion when a low corner was rolled out to the midfielder. He hit a swerving shot from distance which came back off the post.
The Mourneview men brought on Darren Clarke in the second half and he forced a close-distance save from Hogg following a mazy run down the right wing, cutting inside the box before shooting.
Glenavon threw the kitchen sink at the Ports goal in the end, sending Byrne forward, but failed to test Hogg.
Glenavon Byrne, Burnley, Toure, Snoddy (Clarke 57), Malone, Hodgins (Teggart 80), Campbell, Quinn, Baird (Garrett 57), Wallace, Doona (Lotefa 77). Subs not used Gracey, Kerr, Prendergast.
Portadown Hogg, D Wilson, L Wilson, Chapman, McCaw (Montgomery 62), Mayse (Coyle 84), Russell, Fyfe, Trainor, Barr (Kane 72), Thompson. Subs not used Buchanan, Redman, Williamson, McKay.
Referee Christopher Morrison.
