After a scoreless first half the game roared into life three minutes after the break when Liam Boyce edged the visitors ahead with a close range finish from a Francis Murphy pass.

But Glenavon were back on level terms just four minutes later through Trevor Molloy's strong drive after Willo McDonagh delivered a perfect cross from the left.

The Reds regained the advantage on 69 minutes with Boyce's second of the night, a near post header from a Barry Holland cross, but barely sixty seconds later the Lurgan Blues equalised once again when Tony Grant got a nod to a Paul Carvill left-wing cross.

And five minutes later Marty Quinn's men moved in front through skipper Hugh Dickson after he planted a strong header onto a Molloy ball.

Cliftonville substitute Ciaran Boyd almost snatched a point for the visitors towards the end with a 20-yard drive which went just wide while, five minutes into stoppage time, Grant came within a whisker of adding to Glenavon's tally when his effort was touched onto a post by John Connolly.