GLENAVON 1-2 BANGOR
JJB IRISH CUP - Sat, 12th January 2008

A better script could not have been written as Bangor came from a goal behind to send Premier League side Glenavon crashing out of the Irish Cup. Former Glenavon players Marty Verner and Stephen Munn were the heroes for the Seasiders as their strikes in either half gave Bangor a well deserved win and an opportunity to pit their wits against Linfield in the next round.

Bangor, handing debuts to new signings Craig Gilmore and Mark Magennis, were dealt an early injury blow as David Irvine hobbled off the pitch in the 8th minute to be replaced by Dominic Melly. But it was Bangor who coped with the disruption and had the ball in the back of the net moments later. James Bell's corner was cleverly helped back into the penalty area by Magennis, allowing Marty Verner the chance to acrobatically hook the ball into the net from close range. But as the Bangor players wheeled away in celebration, referee Arnold Hunter ruled the goal out following an offside decision from the linesman.

The home side took the lead in the 16th minute in rather fortuitous circumstances. Michael McKerr, returning to Glenavon on loan from Birmingham City, centred the ball from the right. The impressive Craig Gilmore got his head to the ball to take it away from Bracken, but the ball fell kindly against Trevor Molloy before somehow spinning into the back of the net from close range.

Bangor's injury plagued season was only to get worse when Mark Magennis had to be replaced by Andy Forsythe as the debutant had to leave the field with a fractured shin following a collision with a Glenavon player.

Glenavon began to take advantage of Bangor's problems as they began to assert themselves, spreading the ball all around a hard surface while trying to stretch a well organised and hard working Bangor team.

David Bracken almost doubled his side's lead in the 35th minute out of nothing. Cutting in field from the left flank, the striker thumped a shot which rebounded clear off the top of the crossbar as Brown watched on.

Another first half substitute, Andrew Hageman, who replaced Adrian Harper, forced Ryan Brown into a smart stop low to his right from 20 yards in the 40th minute.

It was Bangor who finished the half stongly with Marty Verner in the thick of the action. Capitalising on a poor mistake from Johnny Cowan, Andy Forsythe found himself in the clear down the left. The substitute fired in a low cross towards Verner, but the red-hot forward just couldn't reach the cross to get the killer touch.

The scores were level on the stoke of half time when Bangor were awarded a penalty after Johnny Cowan rashly upended Verner following Collier's headed pass from Forsythe's cross. Verner dusted himself down before he calmly dispatched the ball down the middle of the goal to silence his former side.

Half-time: 1 - 1

Bangor began the second half like they meant business, and it was Dominic Melly who almost gave his side the lead in the 54th minute. His 35 yard curling freekick evaded everyone in the box, but bounced agonisingly wide of the post with Murphy scrambling across his goal.

Referee Arnold Hunter acted on the advice of his assistant in the 65th minute to send Paul Millar from the dugout for something he said. But this setback didn't weaken Bangor's resolve.

The Seasiders continued to dominate without forcing Murphy into many saves, but the game was to change in the 72nd minute. Having watched Ryan Brown block a dangerous cross with his feet, John Bailie sent the ball forward for Marty Verner. The pacey forward skillfully beat his marker and raced clear on goal, but as a defender caught up with Verner, the ball broke loose. Andy Morrow reacted quickly to slide to win the ball from Gavin McDonnell. The Glenavon centre half reacted badly to the challenge as he lashed out at Morrow. The well positioned Hunter was left with no choice but to issue the defender a red card and award Bangor a freekick 25 yards from goal. Stephen Munn made his former club pay as the Bangor favourite delightfully curled his effort around the wall and inside the post sparking wild celebrations.

A fine breakaway from Andy Morrow moments later almost resulted in a third goal for Bangor but Tuda Murphy reacted quickly to the threat as he smoothered the ball at Marty Verner's feet.

Ryan Brown 1 had to produce a brilliant save in the 81st minute to deny Eamon Murray. The tricky substitute cut in field, beat a man and fired in a blistering shot from 20 yards which the Bangor keeper had to superbly tip over the crossbar.

Bangor's injury problems were to continue to mount when Craig Gilmore had to be replaced by Paul Emerson as the new signing left the field with a broken cheekbone and a badly bruised eye following a collision.

With only a minute to play, Marty Verner had a glorious opportunity to put the final nail in the Glenavon coffin as he raced clear on goal following a horrendous misjudgement from McKerr. The striker advanced on Murphy, but with only the keeper to beat, Verner sent his shot just over the crossbar from 10 yards.

The miss was not to be costly as Bangor held on for a well deserved win and the chance to take on Linfield at Windsor Park in the 6th Round.

Full-time: 1 - 2

Bangor: Brown 1, Collier, Beggs, Munn, Bell, Gilmore (Emerson), Magennis (Forsythe), Irvine (Melly), Morrow, Verner, Bailie. Subs not used: Rosson, Brown 2

Scorers: Verner ('45 pen), Munn ('72) Booked: Munn, Magennis, Verner, Gilmore, Beggs

Glenavon: Murphy, McKerr, Meehan (Kearney), Cowan, McDonnell, Harper (Hageman), Magennis (Murray), Walsh, Bracken, Molloy, Carville. Subs not used: Stewart, ???

Scorer: Molloy ('16) Booked: Walsh Sent off: McDonnell