Larne extend lead at top as Glens hammer Crues - report and highlights

Larne moved six points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table as Andy Ryan scored two penalties to secure a 2-0 win over Ballymena United at the Showgrounds on Saturday.

Second-placed Coleraine lost ground as they went down 3-1 to Dungannon Swifts while a Pat Hoban hat-trick helped Glentoran keep up their pursuit of the leaders with a comprehensive 5-1 win against Crusaders at the Oval.

The Glens sit fourth, level on points with Linfield above them, but with a match in hand over their Belfast rivals.

Bottom side Glenavon reduced their deficit to Crusaders at the foot of the standings to just three points by seeing off derby rivals Portadown 3-0 at Mourneview Park while Carrick Rangers drew 1-1 at home to Bangor.

Five players were sent-off in Saturday's games - Jordan Forsythe of Crusaders, Ballymena's Success Edogun, Lewis Harrison of Bangor, Carrick's Adam Lecky and Portadown's Luke Wilson.

Linfield could leapfrog Coleraine into second spot if they can defeat Cliftonville in the final top flight game of the weekend at Solitude on Sunday (15:00 GMT).

Larne got their Premiership title challenge back on track by securing their first and only league win of the month of February at the Warden Street Showgrounds.

Ryan's two spot-kicks, one in either half, ensured that the pacesetters ended a four-game run without a win in the top flight.

The visiting striker fired home his first in the ninth minute after referee Tim Marshall adjudged that Fuad Sule had committed a foul inside the area.

Ryan added his second on the half-hour mark after Matthew Lusty was fouled, the frontman converting for his eighth goal since returning to action after a long spell out through injury.

Any hopes Ballymena had of mounting a second-half comeback all but evaporated seven minutes into the second half when forward Success Edogun received a red card for retaliation.

For Larne, it was a third league win from three against the Braidmen, the sides having also taken a win apiece in cup knockout contests between the sides.

The defeat was a first in the league at home for Ballymena manager Oran Kearney since taking over as boss from Jim Ervin in early January.

Glentoran started the brighter at the Oval and edged in front in the ninth minute when MJ Kamson Kamara reacted quickest in the six-yard area to head home Jamie Singleton's flick-on from Ryan Cooney's corner.

That early breakthrough set the tone for a first half largely controlled by Declan Devine's men, who almost doubled their advantage when Hoban's close-range effort from Cooney's cross looked destined for the top corner until Musa Dibaga reacted sharply to claw it away.

The visitors' difficult afternoon deepened on the stroke of half-time when Jordan Forsythe was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Marcus Kane in midfield.

With the extra man beginning to tell after the restart, Glentoran continued where they had left off as Hoban doubled their advantage when Cooney delivered low from the right and the striker was on hand to poke home from close range.

Momentum remained firmly with the hosts and that sustained pressure soon brought a third as Cammy Palmer's long-range effort was palmed into the path of Hoban, who made no mistake from yards out.

Hoban completed his hat-trick in the 65th minute when Cooney drifted in from the right and picked out the experienced striker at the back post, where he turned Kurtis Forsythe before finishing from close range.

With eight minutes remaining, substitute Liam Burt grabbed his second league goal for the Glens when the midfielder's overhit cross caught out everybody before nestling into the back of the net.

As the full-time whistle approached, Crusaders pulled a consolation back when substitute Brooks latched onto Kamson Kamara's blocked clearance and calmly chipped the ball over the advancing Andy Mills.

Dungannon Swifts took a major step towards securing a top six finish with a resounding 3-1 home win over title-chasing Coleraine at Stangmore Park.

First-half goals from Sean McAllister, Leo Alves and Danny Wallace gave them a commanding half-time lead and despite a James Akintunde goal shortly after the restart held on for a famous win.

The hosts were on the front foot from the off and opened the scoring after just 11 minutes.

The visitors' defence failed to deal with Steven Scott's long throw and Sean McAllister was quickest to react, poking the ball into the corner past Coleraine goalkeeper Ryan Schofield from near the penalty spot.

Rodney McAree's side continued to dominate and doubled their lead midway through the opening half as Leo Alves reacted quickest to fire home from 10 yards after Schofield had saved Tiernan Kelly's initial shot.

Incredibly, they made it 3-0 before the break and, again, the influential Alves was involved.

His corner was headed on at the near post by Adam Glenny in the direction of an unmarked Danny Wallace who blasted a volley into the corner of the net from six yards out.

Coleraine barely threatened in the opening period, Matthew Shevlin dragging his shot wide of the goal from a good position when the game remained scoreless their best opportunity.

They were thrown a lifeline five minutes after the restart when substitute Akintunde, one of four new faces introduced at half-time, rose unchallenged to head home Zane Okoro's corner from close range.

The same player went close again, from a Ben Wylie corner, but this time he was unable to keep his header on target as the visitors upped the tempo.

The visitors huffed and puffed in the closing stages but the Swifts held on for a first win at home over Coleraine in over five years.

Glenavon converted their early dominance into goals against Portadown, opening the scoring in the 25th minute.

The hosts won a free-kick in a good position on the left. Peter Campbell stepped up and provided a wonderful cross, which was met by the head of Paddy Burns, who guided the ball into the bottom right corner past Alex Moore in the Portadown goal.

Three minutes later, they doubled their lead when Nathaniel Ferris carried the ball into the box. He was tackled, but the ball ricocheted to the on-rushing Conor Falls, who hit the loose ball first time into an open goal.

Portadown began the second half brightly with a great chance. Lee Chapman delivered a cross from the right which fell at the feet of Steven McCullough, but his low-driven effort hit the post.

Glenavon successfully contained the visitors before netting their third goal. Paul McGovern made a great solo run with the ball before showing great composure to fire home in the 74th minute.

As the game came to a close, Luke Wilson received a red card for a late challenge on Paul McGovern, which capped off an intense derby game with lots of robust tackling throughout from both sides.

Carrick almost took a third-minute lead when a cross from the left found Lecky at the back post and his header forced a superb save from Bangor keeper Lee Duggan who turned the ball around the right-hand upright.

The hosts continued to pressurise and got their reward with the opening goal on 12 minutes. After some good hold-up play down the right from Lecky, the ball was played back to Matthew Snoddy who picked out Paul Heatley with a cross and the attacker struck a low volley from the edge of the area that found its way into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

However, Bangor refused to succumb to their opponents and got back into the game on the half-hour mark. Heatley bundled over Bangor captain Harrison inside the area and referee Louise Thompson pointed to the spot.

Harry Lynch stepped up to send the goalkeeper the wrong way and slot home into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal.

Just before the break Bangor came mightily close to taking the lead when Stephen McGuiness crossed into the area where Tiarnan Mulvenna leapt highest but his header rebounded off the crossbar with Nathan Gartside beaten.

The second period was a tense affair. Carrick went close on 66 minutes through Reece Glendinning, who volleyed towards goal from inside the Bangor area. However, Ben Arthurs cleared off the line

Tensions continued to rise and boiled over five minutes from time when Bangor skipper Harrison was sent-off for a second bookable offence. Then deep into stoppage time Lecky was given a straight red for knocking over Reece Neale as the game ended on a sour note.