Larne win to extend lead at top as Glens beat Blues

Larne came from behind to beat Carrick Rangers 2-1 and extend their lead at the top of the Irish Premiership table to six points on Friday as Glentoran beat Linfield at Windsor Park on Boxing Day for the first time ever.

In the east Antrim derby at Taylors Avenue, Paul Heatley opened the scoring for Carrick, but Tiarnan O’Connor and Paul O’Neill’s late goals in three minutes ensured that the pacesetters won with the most points.

The Glens won the opener 1-0 to move their record to two league victories in a row and move above their rivals into third place in the standings.

A goal in each half from Daire O’Connor gave Ballymena United a 2-0 victory over Coleraine at the Warden Street Showgrounds, Oran Kearney securing his first win as manager of the Sky Blues, against his former club.

In the first half of the north Belfast derby at Solitude, Ryan Curran’s own goal gave the Crusaders a 2-0 lead over Cliftonville, with Adam Brooks adding the second.

Larne are unbeaten in 11 league games after defeating Carrick Rangers in their derby, having accumulated nine wins and two draws in that sequence.

After Danny Gibson had a good cross from the far post, the home side made a good save save for Larne keeper Rohan Ferguson.

As the Carrick Rangers pressed, Paul Heatley also had a shot that was low across the face of goal.

At the other end, skipper Leroy Millar was proving Larne’s main attacking threat and he twice tested Nathan Gartside from distance.

And just before half-time, he turned his hand to Jordan McEneff, whose goal-bound effort was well saved by Gartside.

Before the break, Heatley saw his effort hacked off the goal line, and Benji Magee fired a shot just over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken 11 minutes into the second half thanks to Paul Heatley’s fifth league goal of the season, a fine individual effort.

Billy Joe Burns made a brilliant effort to get the ball inside his own half before passing a gorgeous pass to his right foot into the Larne defense.

His former Crusaders colleague had plenty to do, but he hurriedly cleared the defense before hurling the ball into Ferguson’s unguarded net.

The league leaders drew level with just over 10 minutes remaining, second half sub O’Connor firing a low right shot from distance into the bottom corner.

Bragging rights belong to Glentoran who beat Big Two rivals Linfield for the very first time in a Boxing Day derby at their rivals ‘ ground since the festive fixtures were introduced in 1989.

David Healy’s side suffered two straight defeats in the Irish Premiership as a result of Thomson’s first-half ace.

The visitors quickly gained control of the game and hit the front just before the half-hour mark in spectacular style after an essentially level opening 25 minutes.

Thomson was afforded too much time and space in midfield as he ran forward and let fly with a powerful right-footed strike from distance, which nestled in the top corner for a ‘ goal of the season ‘ contender.

Ten minutes into the second half, The Glens almost doubled their lead, but Chris Johns’ superb stop prevented Jordan Jenkins from double theirs.

Coleraine suffered a fourth defeat in seven Premiership games, handing Ballymena its first top flight victory in six games.

On 12 minutes, O’Connor ran onto after Kian Corbally cleverly slipped a through ball past full-back Lyndon Kane.

The winger initially looked to have taken a heavy first touch but he recovered to stretch and poke the ball beyond advancing Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield.

Jamie McGonigle’s substitution cut inside and Sean O’Neill curled his curling shot onto the top of the crossbar in stoppage time, which Coleraine almost equalized.

Cameron Stewart hit the crossbar with his head on a Will Patching corner in the second period, but O’Neill was able to swing the ball over the bar.

The home side doubled their lead on 67 minutes when Corbally once again found O’Connor on the left hand side of the penalty and he ran through to confidently slot past Schofield.

At Solitude, the visitors fashioned the first clear opening when PJ Morrison raced from his line to smother at the feet of Brooks, before Odhran Casey slid in with a superb last-ditch challenge to deny Finlay Thorndike with the goal gaping.

When Rory Hale was imprisoned inside the Cliftonville half, Fraser Bryden’s low effort landed in Thorndike’s path, but the home side retreated and made their way back.

Ryan Curran unintentionally headed into his own net as Thorndike’s corner caused chaos in the penalty area just before the half-hour mark.

Into first-half stoppage time, Casey picked out Joe Sheridan at the back post, and his cut-back found Eric McWoods, who looked certain to score until Jordan Forsythe produced a vital goal-line clearance.

After Jack Keaney bent a free-kick from 25 yards that appeared to be headed in the bottom corner, the Crues almost equalled the lead, but Musa Dibaga brilliantly reacted by securing a fingertip save at full stretch to keep the Crues’ lead.

With his fifth league goal of the season just four minutes left, Brooks scored from a Crusaders corner with a clinical finish from the back post.

For Portadown to win all three points at home to bottom-of-the-table Glenavon in the 36th minute with a Wilson header.

Steven McCullough saw his corner kick almost go directly into the back of the net, but for the fingertips of Glenavon keeper Jacob Carney.

However, a powerful Wilson header met the ball, and it did find its way into the back of the net.

When Carney collided with the rushing Eamon Fyfe in the Glenavon area toward the end of the first half, Portadown fans knew their side had won a penalty.

The referee waved play on and Carney went on to be replaced by Sean Hamill at half time after picking up an injury in that collision.

Following a technical issue with the floodlights, there was a protracted half-time break.

The floodlights appeared to have been serviced during the week, but a 15-minute delay turned out to be due to a malfunctioning oil filter.

After the floodlights were sorted and a second half short on quality followed.

In the final moments of the game, Harry Murphy should have done better from a headed effort, but Glenavon came very close in the second half thanks to a Paul McGovern save that Aaron McCarey had smartly saved.

Within two minutes, Dungannon Swifts had opened the scoring. Peter Maguire reacted by delivering a corner to the back post, which was met by Kevin Dillon.

The defender headed the ball back into the path of Adam Glenny, his shot deflected in off Bangor striker Ben Arthurs.

After the opening goal, Bangor’s fortunes did not improve. Three minutes later, Stephen McGuinness took the place of defender Mark Haughey in the end.

This forced Lee Feeney to rethink his gameplan. The visitors started to take control of the game once the change of pace was made.

Ben Arthurs gave Bangor the best chance to win the half. Picking up the ball in the middle of the park he made a great run beyond Peter Maguire.

Steven Scott was on his feet and blocked his effort when he made room for a shot in the box by shifting the ball from right to left.

Both teams enjoyed their share of possession in the second half, but there was little to attack quality.

Dungannon had calls for a penalty waved away near the end. Leo Alves, a substitute, leaped into the box with some effective control, and Patrick Solis Grogan drew a corner.