GLENS SWEEP PAST REDS INTO THIRD
Glentoran produced a storming first half performance to sweep to a three-goal defeat of Cliftonville at the BetMcLean Oval.
Junior Uzokwe opened the scoring for the Glens after 19 minutes. He did well to get on the end of a long ball forward before running through on goal to make no mistake from around eight yards out.
Bobby Burns doubled Glentoran's lead just after the half-hour mark with a first time effort into the bottom corner after being picked out by Conor McMenamin on the edge of the area.
Niall McGinn almost added a third soon after only to cannon the ball off the base of the post but, in first half stoppage time, Burns did extend Glentoran's advantage with a rifled finish into the top corner.
Brothers Ronan and Rory Hale attempted to kick start a Cliftonville revival after the break. Ronan came close with a 20-yard free-kick that looked destined for the bottom corner only to keeper Aaron McCarey to palm the ball to safety while Rory sent the ball just wide from Chris Gallagher's lay-off.
But Glentoran could also have added to their lead with McMenamin going close only to see the ball deflected behind.
Danny Purkis then saw keeper Gerard Doherty get down low to deny him in front of goal before, moments after that, firing over yards from the target.
Glentoran: McCarey, McCullough, Burns, Marshall, Singleton, Devlin, Murphy, McMenamin, Wightman, McGinn, Uzokwe subs Webber, J. Donnelly, R. Donnelly, Smith, Crowe, Purkis, Walsh
Cliftonville: G. Doherty, Addis, Gallagher, C. Curran, Rory Hale, R. Curran, McDonagh, R. Doherty, Casey, Turner, Ronan Hale subs Gartside, Ives, Robinson, Gormley, Coates, Berry, Moore
Substitution 
Substitution 
