Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton says the Irish League “player of the year” was the difference in Tuesday night’s European play-off with Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.
Glens winger Conor McMenamin produced a classy finish and also crossed for Jay Donnelly to add a second as the Lurgan Blues were beaten 2-0 in East Belfast.
And while Linfield midfielder Chris Shields was named NI Footballer of the Year at the weekend, Hamilton believes McMenamin is currently the league’s outstanding talent.
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The 26-year-old, who joined the Glens from Cliftonville in January 2021, has scored 21 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions this season.
“I’ve said it all along this season and I know Chris Shields has probably got it (the top player award) because he won the title with Linfield,” Hamilton told Glenavon’s YouTube channel.
“But for me, Conor McMenamin has been the player of the year. He’s unbelievable and tonight he scores another goal and sets up the other one as well.
“Conor was on his game and he was the difference between the sides. If he had been playing for us the result would have been the opposite.
“When a player like Conor McMenamin is on his game like that, it’s hard to stop. There are very few clubs who could stop him when he’s in that form.”
Glentoran’s 2-0 win over Glenavon secured a shootout with Tiernan Lynch's Larne - who beat Coleraine 2-0 in the other semi-final - at the BetMcLean Oval on Friday night.
The winners will earn a spot in the Europa Conference League and at least €250,000 in prize money for featuring in the first qualifying round of the competition.
Glens boss Mick McDermott said: “When we saw the conditions, it was exactly what we expected in terms of dealing with the wind in the first half.
“But I thought we weathered it well, got to half-time at 0-0 and based on our second-half performance I thought we deserved to win.”
McMenamin opened the scoring three minutes into the second period when he raced clear to loft a superb shot over teenage Glenavon keeper Josh Clarke.
And it was 2-0 and game over in the 72nd minute when McMenamin crossed for Donnelly to head home his 29th goal of the season.
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