TWO goals in a six minute spell before half-time helped Larne to claim all three points in their trip to Mourneview Park.
A header apiece from Harry Flowers and Albert Watson set Larne on their way, with Stephen Murray halving the deficit just after half-time, before Johnny McMurray swept home the third with 15 minutes left.
Indeed, Larne started the game very brightly, and could have been ahead after seven minutes, only for Johnny Tuffey to turn away his effort from 20 yards.
Five minutes later Tuffey saved from Johnny McMurray, before he turned away Davy McDaid’s deflected effort from the edge of the box.
For the home side, Andy Hall tested Conor Devlin with a free kick from outside the box and then, with 28 minutes gone, Albert Watson was on hand to block Stephen Murray’s goal bound effort.
Larne took the lead with 38 minutes gone, however. Marty Donnelly’s corner from right was met by Harry Flowers at the near post, and he nodded his first goal for the club.
A minute before half-time the away side managed to repeat the feat, with Donnelly again crossing from the right, and this time Watson powered home a header.
Three minutes into the second half Glenavon managed to get back into the match, with Fuad Sule adjudged to have fouled Josh Daniels inside the box. Stephen Murray stepped up to send Conor Devlin the wrong way, slotting the ball down the left.
The Invermen almost regained their two goal advantage on 53 minutes, only for Tuffey to come to his side’s rescue again, this time turning Donnelly’s low effort round his right hand post.
The Lurgan side could well have been level two minutes before the hour mark, when Murray dragged his effort wide, after getting in behind the Larne rearguard.
Tiernan Lynch’s men wrapped up victory when they broke with a swift counter attack on 75 minutes.
Davy McDaid carried the ball forward before releasing Lee Lynch on the right flank. His cross was just right for Johnny McMurray to acrobatically finish from six yards, and seal the victory.
Glenavon: Tuffey, Burns, Marron, Doyle (45’ Larmour), Daniels, Marshall, Mitchell (45’ Jenkins ), Hall (’87 Beggs), Harmon, Murray, Garrett
Unused subs: Larmour, Clingan, McCloskey, Wearen, Hamilton
Larne: Devlin, Flowers, Kelly, Watson, Ramsey, Sule (’66 Lynch), Randall, McDaid, Donnelly (78’ Tilney) , Hughes, McMurray
Unused subs: Mitchell, McEleney, McKendry, Graham, Gilmour
Referee: Robert Harvey (Dublin)
Next up for the Invermen, is Saturday’s Danske Bank Premiership encounter at home to Coleraine. Kick-off at Inver Park is 3pm.
