CARRICK EDGE OUT THE SWIFTS
Carrick Rangers kept up their push for a top six finish with victory over Dungannon Swifts at the Loughview Leisure Arena.
The visitors created the first real effort of note with just over ten minutes on the clock when John Scott latched onto a loose ball but Ross Glendinning did well to produce a great save.
Glendinning was called into action again later in the first half to thwart the unmarked Kealan Dillon after he got onto the end of a Thomas Maguire pass.
But the deadlock was broken in favour of the home side in first half stoppage time when James Teelan found Danny Gibson with a clever through ball to finish confidently past Declan Dunne.
Gibson tried to repay the favour after the break, but Teelan could only look on as his effort flew across the face of goal while, at the other end, Glendinning made another save to keep out a Thomas Maguire attempt.
Carrick doubled their advantage just after the hour, however, when David Cushley fired home from a spot-kick awarded after Gibson had been upended by Dunne.
Dungannon responded positively, and pulled a goal back on 70 minutes through Gael Bigirimana's low strike into the bottom corner.
Rangers were then reduced to ten men following Kurtis Forsythe's dismissal for a foul on Leo Alves, but they held on to secure what could prove to be a vital three points.
Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Forsythe, Stewart, Watson, Cushley, Mitchell, Maciulaitis, Buchanan-Rolleston, Crowe, Gibson, Teelan subs McCauley, McGuckin, Allen, MacKinnon, Graham, Cherry, Arnold
Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, J. Scott, Curry, C. Hegarty, Dillon, S. Scott, Glenny, McGinty, Maguire, Mitchell, Bigirimana subs Henderson, Knowles, Moore, Hutchinson, Alves, Taggert, A. Hegarty
Substitution 
Substitution 
