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 Linfield came out on top after this high tempo clash at Mourneview Park.

Both sides got off to a bright start with Kyle Neill coming close for Glenavon on four minutes only to be denied by Ross Glendinning while, at the other end, Alan Blayney blocked Sammy Morrow's effort from 12 yards.

The sides continued to trade chances as the first half progressed but the deadlock was broken on 20 minutes in Linfield's favour after Andy Waterworth sent a stunning volley beyond Blayney into the bottom left corner from a Morrow flick.

Aaron Burns might have added a second just after the half-hour mark but he dragged the ball wide from just outside the box.

The Lurgan Blues almost levelled three minutes into the second half after Eoin Bradley made the most of a Jamie Mulgrew slip only for Glendinning to produce a superb stop.

And Glenavon were thwarted again on 57 minutes when Ciaran Caldwell's low drive was cleared off the line by Mark Haughey.

But Gary Hamilton's side did craft the equaliser on 76 minutes when Shane McCabe touched an indirect free-kick into the path of Kevin Braniff to fire into the bottom corner.

However, Linfield regained the advantage six minutes after that with a flicked Jimmy Callacher header from Lowry's cross.

Both sides finished with ten men following a stoppage time melee which saw Braniff and Sean Clucas shown red cards.

Glenavon: Blayney, McKeown, Neill, Bradley, Dillon, Caldwell, Marshall, McNally, Braniff, McCabe, Singleton subs Murphy (replaced McKeown 67), Kilmartin (not used), Hamilton (not used), McGrory (replaced McNally 67), Martyn (replaced McCabe 87)

Linfield: Glendinning, Haughey, Callacher, Waterworth, Lowry, Burns, Ward, Morrow, Mulgrew, Quinn, R. Clarke subs Deane (not used), Richards (not used), Millar (not used), Sproule (replaced Clarke 75), Clucas (replaced Waterworth 87)

Referee: Mervyn Smyth

Attendance: 1862