Irish Premiership: Reds win to go four clear as Blues move second

Joe Gormley bagged a double as leaders Cliftonville beat Ballymena United 4-0 at Solitude to go four points clear at the top.

Eetu Vertainen hit a hat-trick as champions Linfield hammered bottom side Portadown 6-1 at Shamrock Park to go above Larne into second place.

In-form Coleraine eased to a 3-0 win at Dungannon Swifts while Glenavon and Carrick played out a 1-1 draw.

Cliftonville stretched their unbeaten run to seven games after a ruthless display against the Sky Blues in north Belfast.

The Reds opened the scoring on the 30th minute after record goalscorer Gormley put the finishing touch to a neat passing move. The frontman took down Rory Hale’s backpost cross and found the net with a classy curling finish.

Gormley would get his and Cliftonville’s second of the afternoon just before half-time when the former Peterborough striker fired straight down the middle to convert a penalty won for a foul on Sean Moore by Steven McCullough – United claimed that the infringement took place outside the area but their protests were waved away.

Ballymena started the second half the brighter and tested the Cliftonville defence with set-pieces and crosses without being able to threaten Nathan Gartside’s goal.

After weathering early United pressure the hosts found their passing rhythm again and Ronan Hale added a third on the 74th minute after a one-two with brother Rory. A superb first touch would see the former Larne frontman ghost past the United defence before firing past a helpless O’Neill.

Sean Moore wrapped up the points for Paddy McLaughlin’s men – the teenage winger received a pass from Levi Ives before drilling low into the bottom corner.

Blues sweep Ports aside at Shamrock Park

Linfield move above Larne on goal difference and into second spot after thumping basement boys Portadown.

The visitors opened the scoring on the 10th minute when Joel Cooper’s first-touch strike found the bottom corner.

Good build-up play contributed to Linfield’s second when Robbie McDaid dealt with the pressure of two Portadown defenders and eventually passed to Matthew Clarke, who knocked the ball back to an unmarked Vertainen and the 23-year-old’s strong strike beat Jethren Barr.

Niall Currie’s men did get one back close to the break when Alberto Balde’s looping free-kick fell to Patrick McNally, who fired home from close range.

However, the defending champions restored their two-goal advantage early in the second half when a skilful pass from Kirk Millar only needed a simple touch from Vertainen to guide the ball into the net.

Vertainen completed his treble, which moved him up to the second highest scorer in the league, on the 75th minute. Millar cleverly tricked the Portadown defence and passed to the Finnish striker, who struck past busy stopper Barr.

Cooper connected with Matthew Clarke’s free-kick from 20 yards out to make it five. It didn’t stop there as Linfield added a sixth – Cooper’s pass to the back-post was bundled over the line by substitute Chris McKee.

Shevlin at the double for Bannsiders

Two goals from Matthew Shevlin and a first for the club from Eamon Fyfe saw Coleraine stretch their unbeaten run to 14 games with a comfortable win over the Swifts at Stangmore Park.

Shevlin set the visitors on their way on the stroke of half-time that’s how it stayed until 10 minutes from time when second half substitute Fyfe, signed in the January transfer window from Dundela, reacted quickest to sweep home following a Lee Lynch corner.

Shevlin added a third in the 89th minute to make it 50 goals in Coleraine colours for the league’s leading marksman.

Coleraine broke the deadlock with the last kick of the first half and it was no surprise that Shevlin was the man with the finish. Andrew Scott, making his first start since his switch from Larne, played a beautifully weighted ball into the path of the striker, who got his shot away early despite the attentions of Dungannon defenders.

Goalkeeper Declan Dunne was off his line quickly but despite getting a hand to the strike the ball trickled over the line for the opening goal and Shevlin’s 23rd of the season.

Earlier, the home side had come within inches of taking the lead when Coleraine captain Stephen O’Donnell’s sliced clearance bounced off the top of the crossbar with keeper Gareth Deane stranded.

The visitors doubled their lead 10 minutes from time thanks to a smart finish from Fyfe following a corner and Shevlin completed the scoring in the final minute with a cool finish from 12 yards. Disappointment for Dungannon but Coleraine keep pace with the leading pack and sit six points off the top.

Two off in Carrick draw

Carrick Rangers and Glenavon battled out a draw at Taylor’s Avenue in a game which saw both teams lose players to red cards in the first half.

Carrick were reduced to 10 men with just nine minutes played after midfielder Kyle Cherry challenged Robbie Garrett in front of the dugouts. Referee Steven Gregg reached for his red card with furious Carrick manager Stuart King cautioned for his protests.

Despite their numerical advantage it took Glenavon until after the half-hour mark to test the home side with Garrett’s 25-yard shot turned behind by Ross Glendinning.

There was further red-card drama five minutes before the break as Glenavon’s Jack Malone challenged Kurtis Forsythe in a virtually identical position to the earlier dismissal and once again, referee Gregg opted to send the player off.

In a scrappy second half the deadlock was eventually broken on 70 minutes when Kurtis Forsythe’s low cross was deflected into his own net by Glenavon defender Calum Birney.

Carrick went on the hunt for a second goal with Ben Tilney’s low shot coming off the post and the same player was also denied in a one-on-one by Rory Brown.

Glenavon eventually levelled with two minutes left when manager Gary Hamilton – on as a substitute – was involved as his effort in a goalmouth scramble eventually dropped to skipper Danny Wallace, who scored from close range. King was sent-off before the final whistle after picking up a second yellow card.