Larne miss chance to go top as Reds come back to win

Gormley grabbed Cliftonville's equaliser at Stangmore Park

Holders Larne missed the opportunity to go top of the Irish Premiership table as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Ballymena United.

Bottom side Newry City grabbed a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Crusaders at Seaview.

Coleraine drew 1-1 with Glenavon while Carrick Rangers and Loughgall drew 2-2.

Larne travelled to the Ballymena Showgrounds knowing that a victory would have taken them above leaders Linfield, who were stunned by a 4-0 hammering by Glentoran in a memorable Big Two encounter on Friday night.

It means the Blues stay at the top of the table, one point ahead of Larne with a game in hand as we edge into the second half of the Irish Premiership season.

And the two sides go head-to-head on Tuesday night in the quarter-final of the League Cup.

In a first half of few openings at the Ballymena Showgrounds, Larne missed the most clear-cut chance four minutes before the interval.

Sean Graham's cross from the left fell to Leroy Millar inside the penalty area and his miscued shot was diverted wide of the target by Andy Ryan.

Joe Thomson had a shot saved by Sean O'Neill while, at the other end, Ballymena had a goal chalked off when Noah Stewart was adjudged to be offside when he headed home a Fraser Taylor cross.

Larne introduced strikers Paul O'Neill and Lee Bonis from the bench but the league champions rarely threatened O'Neill in a poor game.

Reds thump Swifts to move two points off top

Two goals in four minutes helped Cliftonville come from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.

Matty Lusty opened the scoring in the 39th minute with his fifth goal in as many games when Leo Alves skipped past Chris Gallagher before picking out Lusty in the six-yard area, and the Larne loanee made no mistake from close range for his sixth goal of the season.

Seven minutes after the interval, the Reds were back on level terms. The Swifts failed to clear Luke Turner's header from a corner, allowing the ball to fall to Joe Gormley who fired home his 25th career goal against the hosts.

Ronan Hale completed the comeback minutes later after dispossessing Dean Curry on the edge of the Dungannon penalty area before slotting past a helpless Conor Mitchell.

A Ben Wilson double would secure the points, with the first coming after Sam Ashford picked out the former Brighton man in the six-yard area, and the league's top scorer made no mistake by slotting past a helpless Conor Mitchell.

Wilson's second, his 16th of the season, ended any hopes of a comeback for Dungannon, with the frontman getting on the end of Stephen Mallon's inviting left-wing cross.

Bottom side Newry strike late to salvage draw

Newry City salvaged a point late on at Seaview with John McGovern grabbing an equaliser after Jordan Forsythe had given Crusaders the lead in the first half.

It took just 13 minutes for the Crues to break the deadlock with a lovely move resulting in a Forsythe goal. Four or five players were involved in the build-up before Philip Lowry laid the ball into Forsythe's path, with the midfielder finding the bottom corner from outside the area with his first-time strike.

The hosts started the second half brighter before City began to assert themselves and have a flurry of chances.

Adam Salley had a free header saved by Jonny Tuffey, when he really should have done better and Liam Bagnall also came close to levelling moments later, with his effort flying just wide of the right-hand upright.

The visitors got their reward in the 89th minute as McGovern was on hand to tap in from close range following a Jonny Tuffey save that was parried into McGovern's path.

More to follow.