FIVE STAR SKY BLUES SWEEP PAST SWIFTS
Ballymena United produced a five star performance to record a comfortable victory over Dungannon Swifts at The Showgrounds.
The Sky Blues needed just five minutes to move in front after Josh Kelly's header from Ross Redman's corner was adjudged to have just crossed the line at the left post despite protests to the contrary from the Dungannon defence.
There was no mistake about the second, however, when Paul McElroy ran onto a through ball from Trai Hume to finish with composure past Sam Johnston with just over a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock.
McElroy might have added a third soon after with Shay McCartan having a number of later chances as the first half progressed.
Ballymena did score their third a couple of minutes before the break with Hume poking home another Redman corner before, in stoppage time, McElroy turned home number four after a bad mistake from Johnston presented him with the easy task of walking the ball into the net.
To their credit, the Swifts did look a better proposition in the second half and deservedly pulled a goal back on 62 minutes through substitute Ben Gallagher after he met Ryan Mayse's cross to send a downward header past Ross Glendinning.
But Ballymena restored their four-goal advantage on 72 minutes with Tony Kane converting from the spot after Ryan Waide had been brought down by Michael Carvill.
And Kane might have doubled his tally in the final few minutes with a free-kick which bounced and looped over Johnston only to come off the bar.
Ballymena United: Glendinning, T. Kane, Redman, McKeown, McElroy, McCartan, Waide, Hume, Ervin, Keeley, Kelly subs D. Graham (not used), Addis (replaced Keeley 66), Harpur (replaced Kelly 75), Knowles (not used), Wylie (not used), Beattie (replaced McElroy 77), McCready (not used)
Dungannon Swifts: Johnston, Wilson, Byers, Campbell, Carvill, Mayse, McGinty, Glenny, McGee, M. Smyth, Patterson subs Coyle (not used), Hughes (replaced Mayse 75), Forde (not used), Byrne (not used), Patton (not used), Gallagher (replaced Patterson 46), Convie (replaced Wilson 40)
Substitution 
Substitution 
