REDS SWEEP PAST SKY BLUES
Leaders Cliftonville swept to a comprehensive four goal defeat of Ballymena United at Solitude.
Joe Gormley opened the scoring after half-an-hour with a great finish from an acute angle after Rory Hale played the ball back into his path to slot beyond Sean O'Neill.
He made it 2-0 just before the break from a spot-kick fired straight down the middle awarded after Steven McCullough was adjudged to have brought down Sean Moore on the edge of the area.
The visitors might have pulled one back around the hour mark through Robbie McVarnock but his effort from outside the area struck the top of the crossbar.
But Cliftonville extended their advantage with two goals in three minutes midway through the second half.
Ronan Hale added a third on 74 minutes after combining with brother Rory to ease past the defence to beat O'Neill.
Then, not long after that, Sean Moore completed the scoring with a low finish after the ball fell into his path from a Levi Ives attempt.
Cliftonville: Gartside, Ives, Addis, Gallagher, Rory Hale, Lowe, R. Doherty, Gormley, Ronan Hale, Coates, Moore subs G. Doherty, C. Curran, R. Curran, McDonagh, Robinson, Traynor, Casey
Ballymena United: O’Neill, Redman, Wilson, Whiteside, McDaid, Kelly, McCullough, Henderson, McVarnock, Graham, Place subs Williamson, Nelson, Waide, Kane, McGrory, Gibson, Farquhar
Substitution 
Substitution 
