Irish Premiership: Linfield edge Glens as Crues draw at Portadown

Linfield beat Belfast rivals Glentoran 1-0 to move to within seven points of Premiership leaders Crusaders.

Former Glens striker Andrew Waterworth bagged the only goal at the Oval to keep the pressure on the Crues, who drew 1-1 with an impressive Portadown.

Three players were sent-off in a scoreless draw between Cliftonville and Coleraine - Carrick's game with Glenavon also ended in a stalemate.

Dungannon Swifts and Ards drew 3-3 draw and Ballymena beat Ballinamallard 2-1.

• Relive Saturday's Irish Premiership action

Linfield manager David Healy, serving touchline suspension, watched from the stands as Waterworth struck the 62nd-minute winner.

Glentoran are without a win against their rivals in the league since Boxing Day 2011.

Crusaders striker Jordan Owens scored a spectacular opener for the champions at Portadown but it was cancelled out by Marcio Soares.

Niall Currie's side had several opportunities to upset the Crues but were denied by an inspired Sean O'Neill in the visitors' goal.

Cliftonville duo Paul Finnegan and Jaimie McGovern were sent-off along with Coleraine's Adam Mullan at Solitude.

Finnegan and Mullan were both shown two yellow cards, while McGovern was given his marching orders for flailing an elbow at Saul McCaughan.

Goals galore at Stangmore

Gary Liggett scored a late header to snatch a point for Ards against Dungannon in a ding-dong battle at Dungannon.

Guillaume Keke struck the other two for Colin Nixon's team, while Douglas Wilson, Andrew Mitchell and Cormac Burke found the net for the Swifts.

Ballymena came from behind to beat Ballinamallard and follow up their League Cup triumph with a hard-fought three points which guarantees them a top-six finish.

Shane McGinty fired the Mallards into an early lead with a 30-yard rocket, but Johnny McMurray and Conor McCloskey responded to keep the momentum going for David Jeffrey's side.

Glenavon drew for the 13th time in the league this season after being held by Carrick Rangers.