Larne seal second place with Glentoran draw

BBC News

26-04-2025

Larne played out a goalless draw with Glentoran to seal second place in the Irish Premiership which guarantees automatic qualification for European football.In a nervy encounter at Inver Park, Gary Haveron's side withstood persistent pressure from the Glens to pick up the point they needed to finish as runners-up.There were multiple red cards shown after the final whistle after ugly scenes at full-time.Elsewhere, Rhyss Campbell scored a stunning goal as Coleraine edged champions Linfield at the Showgrounds.Dungannon Swifts warmed up for the Irish Cup final against Cliftonville next week with a 1-0 win against Crusaders.Cliftonville secured seventh spot and a potential European play-off place after a routine 4-1 victory against relegated Loughgall.Portadown rounded off their campaign with a narrow 2-1 win against Ballymena United at Shamrock Park.Glenavon ended the season on a high as they beat promotion/relegation play-off bound Carrick Rangers 4-0 at Taylors Avenue.
Ruthless Reds at Lakeview
The Reds surged ahead on 21 minutes with a beautifully worked team goal. Rory Hale's clever ball found Joe Gormley, who sent Luke Conlan racing clear down the left. Conlan's pinpoint cross was cushioned neatly by Ryan Curran into the path of Gormley, who calmly guided the ball into the far corner.Four minutes into the second half, Gormley doubled his tally following another slick move. Curran's incisive through-ball sliced open the Loughgall defence, releasing Axel Piesold, whose driven cross provided Gormley with an easy tap-in.The Reds then went further ahead on 64 minutes as Eric McWoods burst clear, drew goalkeeper Berraat Turker out and selflessly squared the ball for Alex Parsons to roll into the empty net.Darren Murphy's men responded swiftly, pulling one back moments later when Ryan Waide confidently dispatched a penalty, offering the home supporters brief hope of a comeback.However, Jim Magilton's charges restored their three-goal advantage eight minutes from time. The lively McWoods picked out Curran at the edge of the area, and he clinically swept the ball beyond Turker and into the far corner.
Campbell stars as Lurgan Blues beat Carrick
Glenavon had the first attack on goal just three minutes into the game.David Toure swung in a cross from the right that had Carrick goalkeeper Jack McIntyre at full stretch to keep the ball out.However, on 16 minutes McIntyre could do nothing about Glenavon's opener.Paul McGovern raced clear and was half-tackled by Carrick's Benjamin Buchanan-Rolleston, but the ball rolled kindly back into his path allowing him to neatly slide the ball past McIntyre.Glenavon continued to dominate play and could have doubled their advantage nine minutes after, when a scramble in the Carrick box courtesy of some poor home defending, allowed McGovern to shoot, but he could only fire over the crossbar from 10 yards.Rangers' first chance came just before the break. An in-swinging corner was met at the back post by Ben McFarland, but the midfielder failed to get his header on target.Just five minutes after the break Glenavon got their second. Ben Wilson produced a smart back-heel down the right flank which found Peter Campbell on the edge of the area, and he curled a left-footed effort that nestled into the bottom left-hand corner.There was still time for two more goals, first, after missing an open goal, Aaron Heaney was played in down the right by Campbell on 76 minutes, and the forward made no mistake, drilling the ball past McIntyre.Then on 85 minutes, Campbell once more cut inside from the right onto his favoured left foot before he bent a stunning shot into the far corner beyond the outstretched McIntyre.Stephen Baxter's side will now prepare for Tuesday's promotion/relegation play-off first leg away to Championship side Annagh United.More to follow.