Irish Premiership: Glenavon and Glentoran play out goalless Mourneview Park draw

Glenavon and Glentoran battled out a scoreless draw in the re-arranged Irish Premiership match at Mourneview Park.

Glentoran had the ball in the net on three different occasions but none of the efforts stood.

The fourth-placed Glens are now two points ahead of Crusaders with Glenavon level on points with Dungannon but remaining 10th on goal difference.

Glentoran had the ball in the net inside the opening 45 seconds but David Fisher – who had produced a tremendous leap to get above Glenavon keeper Mark Byrne to meet Patrick McClean’s deep cross – saw his effort ruled out for offside.

The visitors dominated the opening stages with Byrne keeping out efforts from Fuad Sule and Daire O’Connor.

Glenavon almost took the lead with their first meaningful attack when Len O’Sullivan’s cross was headed goalwards by Matthew Snoddy but Glentoran keeper Aaron McCarey, with the aid of the crossbar, was able to tip the ball over.

Glentoran came close just before the break when Charlie Lindsay brilliantly controlled Sule’s through ball but his volley flashed over the crossbar.

The east Belfast side again had the ball in the net just short of the hour mark but it was once again chalked off.

Fisher’s shot was palmed away by Byrne with the referee’s assistant adjudging that the ball had crossed the bye-line for a corner before Junior cut it back for substitute Shay McCartan to sweep home, while another effort was ruled out following a goalmouth scramble.

Then Fisher latched onto a Junior flick and went past Sean Ward but as he attempted to shoot across Byrne, the Glenavon keeper was able to comfortably gather his effort.

The Lurgan Blues passed up a great chance in the closing minutes as Robbie Garrett’s quickly-taken free kick rolled over the foot of James Singleton, leaving Darren Clarke in the clear. The substitute tried to curl the ball into the far corner but put it over the bar.