Glens and Larne win as race for second continues

Joe Thomson congratulates Christie Pattison after he scored against Crusaders

The race for the coveted runner-up place in the Irish Premiership which would deliver European qualification remains very much on after Glentoran and Larne both won on Saturday.

The Glens retained their second spot in the league standings thanks to a thumping 4-0 win over Crusaders at Seaview, Christie Pattison, David Fisher, Jordan jenkins and Kodi Lyons-Foster scoring the goals.

Larne keep up their pursuit, remaining one point behind Declan Devine's side as they defeated Coleraine 2-1 at Ballycastle Road.

Andy Ryan gave Larne an early lead, Declan McManus equalised, but Paul O'Neill's penalty proved decisive.

Champions Linfield beat Dungannon Swifts 2-0 in the day's other top six encounter.

Meanwhile Loughgall's relegation from the top division was confirmed with a 3-1 defeat by Portadown at Shamrock Park.

Elsewhere in the bottom half Cliftonville strengthened their grip on seventh position with a 2-0 victory at home to Glenavon and Ballymena United drew 1-1 with Carrick Rangers at the Showgrounds.

Glens cruise to win at Seaview

Crusaders began strongly against Glentoran with Harry Franklin's header from a Jordan Forsythe cross palmed away by Daniel Gyollai in the opening minutes.

Gyollai was then called into action again to gather Stewart Nixon's shot after he had been played through on goal by Franklin before also denying Philip Lowry's low effort from the edge of the box in the 12th minute.

However, it was the away side who opened the scoring just before the 30-minute-mark when a Danny Amos free-kick was half cleared by Jimmy Callacher, but only as far as Pattisson who chested the ball down before firing into the top left-hand corner.

Glentoran doubled their lead on 34 minutes after Pattisson intercepted a slack back pass by Jonny Tuffey and found Joe Thomson on the right-hand side of the box. Thomson then sent the ball across the penalty area for Fisher to tap home from close range.

It was 3-0 on 75 minutes when Jenkins played a clever one-two with Fisher before firing a low strike into the middle of the net and past the outstretched Jonny Tuffey.

Lyons-Foster added a fourth with nine minutes to go after he headed a superb delivery from Danny Amos home from the back post to ensure that Glentoran remain in second place.

Larne seal important three points

Larne received the perfect early boost with a goal inside six minutes when O'Neill threaded a pass between goalkeeper Max Little and defender Charles Dunne, giving Ryan the chance to poke the ball home.

Coleraine levelled matters five minutes before the break when McManus took a pass from Lyndon Kane before beating keeper Rohan Ferguson with a cool finish.

Little make a couple of good stops to deny Ryan and Shaun Want with a fingertip save in first half stoppage time.

A disappointing second half came to life 13 minutes from the end when Larne were awarded a penalty after Paul O'Neill was brought down by Dunne and O'Neill sent Little the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The result keeps Larne firmly in the hunt for second place but Coleraine must now settle for a place in the European play-offs.

Blues too strong for Swifts

Charlie Allen and Josh Archer's strikes either side of half-time secured all three points and a clean sheet for the champions.

After a fairly open and even first half, it was the Blues who hit the front on 28 minutes. Ryan McKay did well down the left as he found Cameron Ballantyne inside the area, who caressed the ball into the path of Allen who found the top corner after his initial shot was blocked.

David Healy's side had a few more chances to double their lead before half-time through Kieran Offord and Rhys Annett but couldn't find a second goal before the break.

The visitors were still very much in the game and a huge threat, but it was Linfield who started the second half in the ascendancy looking for a second goal.

They got their reward on 62 minutes as Archer's deflected shot looped over Declan Dunne and into the back of the net following an almighty goalmouth scramble.

The Blues remain 25 points ahead of second place with just two games to go.

Reds ease past Glenavon

Ryan Curran broke the deadlock for Cliftonville in the 52nd minute, displaying his predatory instincts to scramble Alex Parsons' header over the line following Shea Kearney's teasing cross from the right wing.

Eric McWoods sealed the victory for the Reds 20 minutes later when the in-form American lashed a low drive past Mark Byrne at his near post after being expertly set up by Coran Madden, who had carved through the Glenavon midfield.

Jim Magilton's charges edged proceedings throughout and should have taken the lead in the first half when Parsons directed a glancing header from Kearney's pinpoint delivery goalward, only for Byrne to produce a spectacular full-stretch save.

The hosts came agonisingly close to extending their advantage when Odhran Casey thundered a powerful header towards goal, but the experienced Davy McDaid showcased his defensive awareness to clear off the line.

Byrne continued his defiant performance when he acrobatically tipped Michael Glynn's goal-bound effort over the crossbar after the Cliftonville man had found space in the penalty area.

The Lurgan Blues offered minimal attacking threat throughout, with Jack Malone's speculative long-range effort in the 19th minute representing the visitors' only meaningful attempt.

Loughgall relegated after Ports win

Portadown squandered a number of opportunities to take the lead before they eventually made the breakthrough against Loughgall on 18 minutes.

Nathan Gartside thwarted Eamon Fyfe, with James Teelan stabbing wide on the rebound.

Fyfe missed another good chance seconds later as he fired over the crossbar after getting on the end of Shay McCartan's cross.

Teelan atoned for his earlier miss by blasting home the opener in off the crossbar after the ball fell kindly to him in the box.

Loughgall then forced Aaron McCarey into two quickfire saves at the start of the second half.

McCarey saved Benji Magee's effort after he wriggled into the box before then tipping Tiernan Kelly's close-range header away.

The Ports re-established control and Josh Ukek added a second on 82 minutes, poking home from Divin Isamala's cross.

Two minutes later, Loughgall pulled a goal back when substitute Ryan Waide curled home with a fine finish, but substitute Ben Wylie netted a late third for the Ports to condemn the Villagers to relegation.

Late Cushley strike secures point for Carrick

Ballymena dominated the first half but struggled to carve out clear-cut chances.

Success Edogun ran onto a through ball but Carrick keeper Ross Glendinnjng was quickly off his line to block while Ben Kennedy curled a shot narrowly wide.

At the other end, Kyle Cherry's through ball sent Jack O'Reilly racing clear of the Ballymena defence but he blazed his shot over.

The deadlock was eventually broken with 15 minutes left when Aaron Jarvis picked up a loose ball in midfield and surged into the penalty area before curling a shot into the corner of the net with the outside of his right boot.

But just as it seemed Ballymena would claim full points, Carrick snatched an equaliser deep in injury time as David Cushley squeezed home an equaliser from an acute angle.