Larne extend lead as Linfield move into top four

Callacher and McKee were on target for Linfield

Larne extended their lead at the top of the Premiership table to six points but were made to work hard for a 2-1 home win over struggling Dungannon Swifts.

Linfield moved into the top four, above Crusaders on goal difference, with a 2-0 away win over Ballymena United.

Chris McKee stabbed in the opener with Jimmy Callacher heading the second.

While the Invermen now have a six-point lead over Glentoran, the Glens have played two games less and they will face Cliftonville on Sunday.

Defeat for the second-from-bottom Swifts at Inver leaves them with just four points from 16 top-flight games this season.

Dean Shiels' men opened the scoring in the 44th minute when Ryan Mayse kept his composure to find the net from 40 yards after Larne stand-in goalkeeper Jack McIntyre failed to clear a long ball forward after coming well off his line.

Larne levelled the game on 50 minutes when in-form striker O'Neill scored from close range after he followed up a Leroy Millar shot that visiting keeper Declan Dunne failed to hold.

The former Cliftonville forward's winner came in the 82nd minute when he was again in the right place at the right time to tap home after an impressive run and cross from the left by Ben Doherty.

Larne created plenty of chances in the first half, most notably a Millar chance on 40 minutes when his powerful strike from a tight angle was saved by Dunne onto his crossbar.

The visiting side started the game on the front foot and could have taken the lead when Caolon Marron's header was cleared off the line on 13 minutes.

Tiernan Lynch's men now go to Windsor Park on Tuesday night to face Linfield in a rearranged league match.

More to follow.