FOOTBALL: Friel good factor

AUSTIN FRIEL reacted positively to scathing criticism from manager Roy McCreadie - by producing a two-goal blast.

Friel was hauled before the boss at midweek training and bluntly told he needed to pull up his socks.

And the little midfielder needed only 13 minutes to answer back. He cashed in on some alarming hesitancy in the heart of the home defence, galloped clear and screwed the ball just inside the right hand post of keeper Paul Rice.

Friel struck again deep into injury time at the end of a match Glenavon will claim to have dominated.

This time he latched on to a precision pass from teenage star Richard Clarke, the youngster who minutes earlier had wrapped up the points with a cheeky finish. Clarke intercepted a suicide pass from Rice which was intended for his skipper Pete Batey and scored with a shot back across the keeper and from the most acute of angles.

Glenavon once more demonstrated they have no cutting edge although midfield battler Paddy Quinn went close with a header which whistled just to high and an effort which came back off the crossbar.

Omagh boss Roy McCreadie said: "I'm delighted for Friel for I know he can finish. I feel he needs to be fitter. He certainly needs to lose weight."

Glenavon boss Alfie Wylie whose side has still to win at home this season, moaned: "Our fans deserve better than this.

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