Hat-tricks help Reds and Ports to ease to League Cup victories

Cliftonville regrouped from the defeat by Crusaders as a Joe Gormley hat-trick helped beat Dundela in the League Cup.

Darren Murray's hat-trick helped Portadown hammer Lisburn Distillery 6-0 with Kevin Braniff and Chris Casement also among the goals for the Ports.

Guy Bates scored twice for Glenavon as they fought back from a goal down to beat Institute 4-1 at Mourneview Park.

Allan Jenkins, David Cushley and Shane Dolan netted as Ballymena United defeated Ballinamallard 3-0.

Facing the in-form Championship leaders at Solitude, the holders took only two minutes to move ahead as Liam Boyce headed a Ronan Scannell cross to the net.

Gormley doubled Cliftonville's lead with a fine volley on 29 and Chris Curran made it 3-0 two minutes after the break.

Striker Gormley completed his hat-trick by netting on 85 and then 87 after George McMullan had headed against the woodwork.

Murray put the Ports ahead on 10 minutes at Shamrock Park and there were no further goals in the first period as Distillery improved.

However, Murray doubled Portadown's advantage on 51 after good work by Braniff and Casement and Distillery's Bradley Morton then poked into his own net seven minutes later.

The enterprising Casement made it 4-0 on 62 and after Braniff scored the fifth on 80, Murray completed his hat-trick five minutes from time.

At Mourneview Park, Darren McCauley put the Londonderry club ahead in the 12th minute before Glenavon player-boss Gary Hamilton scored a spectacular equaliser with a 25-yard shot on 40 minutes.

Bates volleyed Glenavon ahead three minutes later after Andy McGrory had struck the crossbar.

Striker Bates chipped in a glorious third Glenavon goal on 65 minutes and Kyle Neill struck the fourth three minutes from time after Bates had chested down a cross from James Singleton.

At the Ballymena Showgrounds, Jenkins put the home side ahead on 19 minutes with Cushley doubling the advantage on 36 and Dolan notching the third on 54.

League Cup Third-Round results

Cliftonville 5-0 Dundela

Crusaders 4-1 Coleraine (aet)

Dungannon Swifts 1-1 Ards

(Ards won 4-3 on penalties)

Glenavon 4-1 Institute

Glentoran 0-0 Linfield

(Linfield won 4-2 on penalties)

Portadown 6-0 Lisburn Distillery

Ballymena United 3-0 Ballinamallard United