CHAMPIONSHIP TWO: Cairns looking for ‘big performance’ on Saturday

Lurgan Celtic were 3-0 up at the break, add to that a sending off for Glebe’s keeper, Brian Kane, and it was a bad day all round for the Ballymoney men.

“It wasn’t a case of us playing bad, we just defended poorly,” admitted Cairns.

“Lurgan Celtic had three chances in the first half and they went in 3-0 up at the break - that’s just how it was.”

Glebe started the tie well and could have been 2-0 up after good efforts by Kenoway were saved by the visiting keeper.

Lurgan Celtic grabbed the first goal of the game on ten minutes from a corner. Their second goal came soon after, when a long ball was not intercepted by the Glebe defence.

Celtic nicked a third before the break, as Glebe battled to get hold of the tie.

“The game was over at half time.

“It was a case of playing for pride in the second half,” said Cairns.

“They had a lot of pace up front, and that seemed to knock us a little.

“Brian [Kane] was sent off, Tommy Elder took the gloves and saved the resulting penalty, but in the last minutes of the game they scored a fourth,” explained Cairns.

Glebe entertain Portstewart this Saturday, in a game that the Glebe boss is expecting to be a tough tie.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to put things right. We need a big performance, however we will be without Brian Kane.

“There are a few former Glebe players at Portstewart, so I have no doubt that they will be up for this tie.”