SKY BLUES SWEEP PAST SWIFTS
Ballymena United kept their hopes of a European play-off spot alive with victory over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.
A quiet opening to the game saw the visitors create perhaps the first effort of note when Leroy Millar's sixth minute long range effort was turned away by Sam Johnston.
The Swifts had the best chance so far midway through the first half when Mark Patton crossed from the left with the ball eventually reaching Matthew Smyth who, in turn, produced a superb fingertip save from United keeper Ross Glendinning.
However, it was Ballymena who went in at the break on top when, on 43 minutes, Conor Keeley headed home with a strong finish after Ross Redman delivered a perfectly executed inswinging free-kick.
And Keeley almost bagged a second right on the stroke of half-time only for his shot to come back off the base of an upright.
Shay McCartan almost added a second for Ballymena not long after the interval only for his shot from outside the box to skim the top of the bar.
But it was 2-0 on 55 minutes when McCartan slid the ball through for Millar who responded with a confident finish below Johnston.
Then, seven minutes after that, United's third arrived courtesy of a bundled finish from Trai Hume after another Redman corner arrived in the box.
Dungannon came close to a consolation soon after when a short corner reached the edge of the area for Caolin Coyle to curl the ball onto the crossbar.
The Swifts had to wait, however, until the 87th minute to find the net through Oisin Smyth with a delicate flick past Glendinning from Mark Patton's free-kick.
Dungannon Swifts: Johnston, Coyle, McAleer, O. Smyth, Patton, Gallagher, C. McGinty, S. McGinty, McGee, Conway, M. Smyth subs Byrne (not used), Teggart (not used), Campbell (replaced McGee 64), Carvill (replaced S. McGinty 33), Convie (not used), Glenny (not used), Patterson (replaced Conway 74)
Ballymena United: Glendinning, Redman, McElroy, McCartan, Waide, McGrory, Balmer, Hume, Ervin, Millar, Kelly subs McKeown (not used), Harpur (replaced Waide 66), Knowles (not used), K. Kane (not used), Keeley (replaced Balmer 23), Graham (replaced Ervin 46), Wylie (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
