James Costello had the honour of grabbing the opening goal of the new season when he fired Glenavon ahead after just five minutes. He collected the ball from Tony Grant, held it up well in the area, made some space for himself and duly fired it home from some 20 yards out.

Despite that early setback the visitors did battle gamely in an attempt to restore parity but the closest they came before the break was a Cullen Feeney header just past an upright while, earlier, Ross Black had a free-kick parried by Glenavon 'keeper Andrew Plummer.

The Lurgan Blues might have doubled their lead early in the second half when Grant pounced on a poor Feeney backpass only for Andy Coleman to do well to snuff out the danger.

But, in the end, it was the visitors who had the last laugh when, two minutes into stoppage time, Feeney got on the end of a Darren Cassidy cross to head home that late, late leveller.