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City progress after shootout thriller
Armagh City beat Glenavon Reserves 5-4 on penalties to progress to the next round of the Bob Radcliffe Cup, having earlier surrendered a two goal lead in a thrilling encounter that featured plenty of incidents and some spectacular goals.
Sean Morgan was the hero for City as he saved three penalties in the shootout having previously pulled off two brilliant saves at the end of normal time to keep City in the game.
Earlier Gavin Cusack had got the game off to a great start for City with a spectacular long range effort which went in off the post and caught the Glenavon keeper off guard. Glenavon had more possession during the first half but weren't able to put together any incisive attacks and City were able to soak up the pressure with little difficulty.
Francis McCann then gave City a two goal lead when his high, looping corner kick floated over the head of the Glenavon 'keeper and straight into the net. City continued to use their limited possession efficiently, and looked the more dangerous team as the half drew to a close.
With City playing into the wind in the second half, Glenavon began to exert more pressure and spent the opening minutes camped in Armagh City's half. They began putting better attacking moves together but their strikers were having an off day, hitting the post with one effort and then launching an overhead kick over the bar when the City goalmouth was lying vacant after Morgan got caught up trying to clear the ball.
City's new signing Joe McEvoy came on early in the half to replace Trainor up front, but he didn't get to see much of the action in the second half as Glenavon were completely dominant by this stage. Shortly afterwards, having put in a very hardworking and effective midfield display, McCann was replaced by O'Neill.
Glenavon finally made their breakthrough when Morgan parried a hard shot that came from the edge of the City box and unfortunately, another Glenavon striker quickly followed up to score with an easy tap-in.
The composure that City had displayed since the start of the game finally began to crack at this point, with Adam Nesbitt, Richard Nesbitt and Johnny Walker getting yellow cards in the space of a few minutes as Glenavon launched wave after wave of attacks. The seemingly inevitable equaliser finally came from yet another long-range effort when the wind caught a shot from the left flank and it drifted over Morgan's head into the top corner of the net.
At this stage, City were in disarray and Marty Rice tried to bring some solidity back into the defence with his final subsitution of the game by moving Cusack into the right back position and replacing Richard Nesbitt with Dwayne McGone. City began to get back into the game to some degree but still required two excellent saves by Morgan just before the end to bring the game into extra time.
City played much better throughout extra time, matching Glenavon around the pitch, and as the game opened up McEvoy gained more possession and was able to open up a few opportunities, drawing a very good save from the Glenavon keeper in the first half of extra time. In the second half of extra time City did well once again, but it appeared that both teams were resigned to penalties by this point.
Adam Nesbitt took the first penalty and put City 1-0 up, but despite Morgan getting a hand to the Glenavon penalty, it rickled in to take the score to 1-1. Gerard Kerr then had his effort saved but Morgan pulled off the first of his penalty saves to keep the score at 1-1. Cusack put City 2-1 up and Morgan pulled off another save to give City a 2-1 lead after three penalties from each side. McEvoy confidently scored his penalty to put City 3-1 up but Glenavon got their penalty despite Morgan once again getting a hand to the ball.
At 3-2 up, Mickey O'Neill then had the opportunity to finish the game but his effort was easily saved and Glenavon scored to take it to 3-3 after five penalties each. In sudden death penalties, captain Johnny Walker bravely took the lead to make it 4-3 but Glenavon scored to make it 4-4. Ryan McGerrigan then slotted his penalty away with ease before Morgan pushed the next Glenavon penalty onto the post to the delight of the travelling fans to secure a 5-4 win on penalties.
Armagh City: 1. Morgan 2.R Nesbitt (McGlone) 3. Breakey 4. Walker(c) 5. Kerr 6.Cusack 7.McCourt 8.McGerrigan 9Trainor (McEvoy) 10 A Nesbitt 11 McCann (O'Neill)
Glenavon Reserves 2-2 Armagh City (City won 5-4 on penalties)
Armagh City beat Glenavon Reserves 5-4 on penalties to progress to the next round of the Bob Radcliffe Cup, having earlier surrendered a two goal lead in a thrilling encounter that featured plenty of incidents and some spectacular goals.
Sean Morgan was the hero for City as he saved three penalties in the shootout having previously pulled off two brilliant saves at the end of normal time to keep City in the game.
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