Ports Frustrated in Festive Flop

Portadown captain produced another battling display but his team carried too many passengers

The Boxing Day football fixtures are one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the Irish sporting calendar, but for Portadown fans the pre-match excitement turned into a day to forget. Mourneview Park was a sea of red and blue as supporters of both clubs turned out in huge numbers providing a colourful spectacle on an unseasonably mild afternoon.

With Portadown riding high in second place, a first Boxing Day win at Mourneview Park since 2011 was expected by the majority of those clad in red and white. The visitors began the game in lively fashion and dominated the early encounters creating the first scoring opportunity after just three minutes. A quick break down the left wing saw McCullough pick up a pass from Ukek and his cross was only cleared as far as the edge of the box. Ben Wylie picked up the loose ball, but his effort was blocked in a crowed penalty area. The home defence struggled to clear their lines and when Lee Chapman switched play to the righthand side Ryan Mayse took the ball to the bye line, but his cross was easily dealt with by the Glenavon goalkeeper.Peter Campbell should have done better moments later when he found himself with the goal at his mercy seven yards out. Campbell tried to create a clearer opening, but his delaying gave Lee Chapman time to move the shot on goal. Play was swinging to and from and on the eleventh minute Ryan Mayse found himself in an almost similar position to Campbell and it was Athertonthis time providing the block.After a bright opening period, play became scrappy with little in the way of good football from either side. A free kick from McCullough on twenty-five minutes went straight into the arms of Byrne. Two minutes later the home fans erupted in a crescendo of noise when, following slack marking, Campbell ran onto a ball across the face of the six-yard box from O’Sullivan to fire home the opening goal.Five minutes from the break Mayse evaded the offside trap and with the ball dropping to him just outside the eighteen-yard line he fired a first time shot which was easily collected by Byrne.Five minutes after the interval a strong run by Ukek was broken up by a last gasp tackle by Snoddy as the Ports winger looked to be clean through on goal. Any prospects of a Ports comeback never however never materialised despite a late onslaught which saw some resolute defending from the home side. Doona should have wrapped up the points, but he turned the ball just wide of the post with Arron McCarey helplessly stranded on his line. Disaster struck for the visitors two minutes from time when McCarey rushed off his line and brought down O’Connor. Referee Lee Tavinder didn’t hesitate in producing the red card despite the protests that Portadown had cover behind the keeper. To add insult to injury Niall Quinn stepped up to take the free kick and fired it home off the post. It was a disappointing day for Ports gaffer Niall Currie and he apologised to the fans after the game, “A really frustrating day and I am speechless in a lot of ways. Out of all the wonderfulperformances we’ve had this season I think it is worse on a day like that there, it’s a huge day for the club and a huge day for the supporters, it’s a supporter’s day more than it is anything else and we’ve sent them home disappointed, and I think that is what hurts the most.” Glenavon. Byrne, Toure, McKeown, Quinn, O’Sullivan, Atherton(Doona), Snoddy, Malone(Marshall), Campbell, McDaid, O’Connor(McGovern). Unused subs. Fry, Lynch, Ward, DoranPortadown. McCarey, Chapman, MacKinnon, D Wilson, McCullough, Thompson(Ray), Wylie, Mayse(McElroy), Fyfe, Ukek(McCartan), Obhakhan. Unused subs. Henderson, Traynor, Riley, Mullan