Premiership

MORE ACTION, MORE GOALS AND MORE DRAMA

26 Feb 2022
football
© David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press Conor McMenamin hit a hat-trick for Glentoran

The latest round of Danske Bank Premiership fixtures produced another healthy dose of goals, action and drama not to mention big wins at both ends of the table.

Glentoran returned to the top of the pile with a 4-2 defeat of Glenavon at Mourneview Park but they had to do it the hard way after twice going behind to goals from Matthew Snoddy and Peter Campbell either side of a Conor McMenamin finish.

Jay Donnelly then levelled for the visitors on 78 minutes just before McMenamin doubled his tally for the afternoon a couple of minutes after that to edge Mick McDermott's side in front for the first time. McMenamin then made sure on 96 minutes to lay claim to the match ball.

Cliftonville are now in second spot after a 3-1 derby win over neighbours Crusaders at Solitude. Jonny Addis opened the scoring on 13 minutes but Josh Robinson levelled a couple of minutes before the break not long after the Crues had suffered the dismissal of Declan Caddell.

However, Ryan Curran restored Cliftonville's lead in first half stoppage time before, on 79 minutes, Levi Ives added a third.

Today's other derby between Coleraine and Ballymena United ended honours even on the Ballycastle Road. Lyndon Kane fired the Bannsiders in front from the spot just before the half-hour mark, and remarkably failed to convert a second penalty just four minutes later. Caolan Loughran levelled for the Sky Blues on 37 minutes while, after the break, it was a tale of woodwork strikes and disallowed goals.

Larne hit two goals without reply past Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park to move back into fourth spot. John Herron opened the scoring right at the end of the first half with Navid Nasseri making it 2-0 late in proceedings.

And Portadown emerged victorious from the big basement battle with Warrenpoint Town at Shamrock Park with the only goal of the game coming just before the hour courtesy of teenager Harry Anderson.