McGovern strikes late as City shock Lurgan Blues

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD John McGovern was the hero for Championship side Newry City as they took the scalp of Premiership side Glenavon to make it into the quarter-finals of the BetMcLean League Cup at Mourneview Park last night.

McGovern (right) struck three minutes from time to cap a superb second-half for Darren Mullen’s men, who came from 1-0 down to lead through Mark McCabe and Adam Foley before McGovern popped up with the winner after Jordan Jenkins’ double for the hosts.

After a reasonably dour firsthalf, where Jenkins went closest early on for Glenavon and City’s Foley was denied by a smart James Taylor save, it took the hosts just 30 seconds after the restart to go in front.

Rhys Marshall played the ball wide to Andy Hall and, when the winger’s cross came in from the right, Marshall headed against the post. It fell to the feet of Conor McCloskey and he teed up Jenkins to sidefoot into the roof of the net from 10 yards out with his left foot.

McCloskey then glanced a header over four minutes later, but, from the resultant goalkick, City went straight down the pitch and levelled.

Andy Coleman’s long clearance was missed by Daniel Larmour

and McCabe waited for the ball to drop before lashing it past Taylor from just inside the box to make it 1-1.

That seemed to spark the Championship side into life and they went close when Taylor could only push out a Kevin McArdle free-kick, but the keeper was able to beat away McCabe’s follow-up.

However, it didn’t take long for them to go in front for the first time with a goal following a blistering counter-attack. It was McGovern who broke clear and played a perfectly weighted through ball for Foley to tuck it into the bottom left corner against his former employers.

But Glenavon regained their composure and, after Stephen Murray had volleyed off the bar, they equalised on 65 minutes when the forward played in Jenkins, who cut inside to slide the ball under Coleman for his second of the game.

In an end-to-end second period, it was City’s turn to hit the woodwork on 72 minutes when Eoin Wearen could only head up in the air and McCabe’s first-time volley beat Taylor but came back off the inside of the left post.

Then came the killer blow on 87 and it was Newry who landed it. Dale Montgomery’s long throw was flicked on by Foley and McGovern took a brilliant first touch to drive high past Taylor and book Newry’s meeting with Institute in the last eight. GLENAVON: Taylor, Harmon, Burns, Larmour, Wearen, Garrett, Marshall, Hall (O’Mahony, 68 mins), Jenkins, Murray, McCloskey. Unused subs: Matthews, Barr, Hunter, Neill, Carson, Hamilton

NEWRY: Coleman, McArdle, Moan, King, Boyle, Moller Nielsen, Montgomery, Hughes, Foley, McCabe, McGovern. Unused subs: Healy, Moody, Lavery, Rushe, M McCavitt

Referee: Steven Gregg (Ballyclare).