There were victories for Coleraine, Larne and Loughgall in today’s Sports Direct Premiership fixtures.
COLERAINE 4 DUNGANNON SWIFTS 1
Coleraine’s Lyndon Kane celebrates with his teammates
Coleraine emphatically recorded back-to-back Premiership wins for the first time this season after a 4-1 victory against Dungannon Swifts at The Showgrounds.
A low-key first-half was sparked into life on the stroke of half-time as Matthew Shevlin gave the hosts the lead with a clinical close-range finish.
However, Dungannon Swifts equalised just two minutes after the restart as Leo Alves’ free-kick was headed into the net by James Knowles.
That was as good as it got for the Swifts as Coleraine pushed on the accelerator and took the lead on 61 minutes when Lyndon Kane’s cross was diverted into his own net by Danny Wallace.
The goals kept on coming – and for Shevlin in particular – as he stroked home a well-taken effort for 3-1 and then secured the match ball from the spot four minutes later after Rhyss Campbell was brought down inside the box by Adam Glenny.
GLENTORAN 0 LARNE 2
Larne’s Cian Bolger celebrates his goal at The Oval
Tiernan Lynch’s Larne got back to a winning trend against Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.
Goals from Andy Ryan and skipper Cain Bolger helped the Inver men recover from last weekend’s shock defeat by Portadown.
Both side finished the game with only 10 men with Glentoran losing defender James Singleton, while substitute Dylan Sloan took the walk of shame for the visitors.
Lynch’s boys forged into the lead on 21 minutes in what was their first meaningful attack. Paul O’Neill and Ryan carved open the Glens defence and, when Jordan McEneff charged into the box, he was hauled down by Fuad Sule.
Ryan confidently stepped up to send Daniel Gyollai the wrong way from the spot.
Glentoran really should have been level seven minutes from the interval. Mark Randall’s horrible back pass fell woefully short, leaving goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson with little option but to clip the heels of Jay Donnelly.
Finley Thorndike, however, blasted the penalty high and wide. It was the third successive time the Glens had fluffed their lines from the spot.
Larne secured the win 21 minutes from time. Sean Graham’s corner kick was helped on by substitute Joe Thomson and fell invitingly for Bolger to poke home from practically on the line.
Both teams were then reduced to 10 men Singleton and Sloan red carded following a nasty flare up.
LOUGHGALL 3 GLENAVON 0
Loughgall’s Nathaniel Ferris celebrates with his team-mates after his goal against Glenavon
Loughgall’s battle to beat the drop has gained momentum after a 3-0 win over Glenavon gave them back-to-back Premiership wins for the first time in 2024.
A week after winning away to Dungannon Swifts
Two goals in the space of only four minutes late in the first half, the first a sweet curling effort from Jordan Gibson in the 34th minute before Nathaniel Ferris doubled the lead with a near post headed, gave them the platform to win the game.
Glenavon came on strong in the second half, changed their shape a couple of times and even threw centre-half Mark Haughey up front when brining him off the bench, but all to no avail.
Indeed it was Loughgall who struck again right at the end of six minute of added time when full-back Jamie Rea, who had been involved in both earlier goal, broke forward and smashed a left-foot drive past Gareth Deane.
Referee Ian McNabb immediately blew for full-time to signal Loughgall’s first home win since their opening game of the season.