Europa League Playoff Final: Ballymena 2-1 Glenavon
Kevin Braniff came off the bench to score a late winner against his old club and secure Ballymena’s place in next season’s Europa League first qualifying round.
A deflected effort 10 minutes from time wrapped up a 2-1 win in what had been an even contest in awkward conditions in Ballymena, with a persistent rain not helping the poor surface.
Glenavon had dominated a cagey first half, but struggled to make their chances count. In the 14th minute, Joel Cooper was sent clear down the left, but by the time he shot the angle had been closed down and his low effort fizzed wide.
4 minutes later, he worked Glendinning with a shot from the opposite side, and on 22 minutes, Greg Moorhouse flicked a header wide at the near post.
The first real chance for Ballymena fell to Kyle Owens who had gone forward for a corner, but his header from 8 yards out was off-target. Shortly before the break, Cathair Friel also headed wide, this time from a Tony Kane free kick.
Glenavon perhaps should have taken the lead on 44, when James Gray’s shot was parried by Glendinning into the path of Moorhouse, but he sent his follow-up right at the keeper.
Ballymena’s lightning-quick frontline always looked like they had a goal in them, and 8 minutes into the 2nd half, they delivered. Joe McKinney slipped in Johnny McMurray with a reverse pass down the left, and his low cross was tapped home by Friel for his 22nd goal of the season.
But Glenavon drew level in the 67th minute through Rhys Marshall. Andrew Hall’s corner sailed to the back post where it was headed back across goal by Ciaran Martyn, and Marshall came flying in with a close range volley.
Sky Blues winger Joe McKinney blazed over a chance from close range, and Glenavon went even closer in the 77th minute when Hall’s long range free kick rattled the crossbar.
Just 3 minutes later, substitute Kevin Braniff settled things with a deflected drive from outside the box which went in off the underside of the bar.