Warrenpoint Town: Philip Donnelly's hat-trick delight to defeat Glenavon

Alan O’Sullivan’s shot on the turn inside the packed penalty area bounced off the upright during a bright start by Warrenpoint Town.

Stephen Murray came close when he connected from a few yards following Andrew Mitchell’s whipped cross but a point-blank stop by Berraat Turker kept the scoreline blank.

Turker was then on hand before the break to save off Andy Hall and Mitchell as Glenavon pushed in search of control.

But Warrenpoint grabbed the upper hand on 40 minutes when O’Sullivan raced along the right, skipping over Caolan Marron’s sliding challenge before delivering a low cross towards the near post for the supporting Donnelly to sweep home on the run into the top corner.

O’Sullivan served notice of his second-half threat by attacking the goal and drifting past Dylan King into the box, with Jonny Tuffey diverting the ball away thanks to an out-stretched leg.

However, O’Sullivan’s next contribution proved key as his pressure led to a block on a Marron pass, with Donnelly racing clear to convert on 49 minutes.

Glenavon’s response led to a corner-kick by Hall clipping the crossbar but Murray was unable to force home the rebound.

Two saves by Tuffey minutes apart stopped O’Sullivan from capping his display with a spot on the scoresheet.

A third Tuffey stop to deny O’Sullivan resulted in Warrenpoint’s third goal on 75 minutes as Donnelly reacted first to slot in the loose ball.

It offered little consolation but Josh Daniels drifted inside on 87 minutes to slot home a low angled drive for 3-1.

GLENAVON: Tuffey, King (Muir, 63), Marron, Marshall, Mitchell, Grace, Hall (Donnelly, 63), Harmon, Daniels, Singleton, Murray (Jenkins, 53).

Subs (not used): Larmour, Geraghty, Taylor, Barr.

WARRENPOINT TOWN: Turker, Foster, Hughes, Reilly, McGrandles, O’Sullivan, McCaffrey (Kelly, 80), M.Lynch (J.Lynch, 63), Watters (Moan, 84), Wallace, Donnelly.

Subs (not used): McCarey, Griffin.

Referee: Jamie Robinson.