Both sides had their moments early in the proceedings with Jamie Tomelty being denied when Andrew Plummer saved at his feet while James Costello fired wide after getting past Kris Lindsay.

Linfield did have the ball in the net eight minutes from the break after Plummer had fumbled a Philip Lowry effort but David Munster's 'goal' was ruled out offside by referee David Malcolm.

But Munster wasn't to be denied three minutes into the second half when he knocked the ball home after a Jim Ervin rebound fell perfectly for him.

The Blues extended their lead just ten minutes after that through Jamie Tomelty when he fired a Billy Joe Burns cross from the right into the roof of the net.

Glenavon hit back, though, on 73 minutes when substitute Gary Liggett - only on the pitch five minutes - stooped to send home a near post header after connecting with a Stuart King cross.

And they might have levelled six minutes later only for Stuart Addis to pull off a superb stop to prevent Jim Ervin from turning a Shea Campbell cross into his own net.