Linfield extend lead at the top, Larne beat Carrick

Irish Premiership leaders Linfield extended their advantage at the top as they edged Cliftonville 1-0 at Solitude.

Substitute Chris McKee latched onto a mistake from Luke Turner and lobbed David Odumosu, as the Blues moved eight points clear at the summit.

At Inver Park, Larne moved up to third with a 2-0 win against Carrick Rangers.

Goals from Tomas Cosgrove and Paul O’Neill gave the hosts the victory in the east Antrim derby.

Larne claim derby spoils

Larne returned to winning ways with a comfortable home win against Carrick Rangers, as they moved level on points with second-place Cliftonville.

Cosgrove opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Levi Ives cut in from the left before teeing up the former Cliftonville defender, who was afforded time and space to pick his spot and duly delivered, firing past a helpless Ross Glendinning to give his side the lead.

O’Neill doubled the champions’ advantage six minutes from time with his fifth league goal of the season. The frontman showed predatory instincts to slot home Aaron Donnelly’s cross from close range to secure the points for the Inver side.

The visitors did have the ball in the net, but Danny Purkis was adjudged to have been offside, much to the relief of the Larne faithful.

Lee Bonis should have doubled Larne’s midway through the second half. The former Portadown striker rose highest to meet Ives’s cross into the six-yard area but somehow missed when it looked easier to score.

Stuart King’s side managed to frustrate the hosts for long periods but struggled to test Rohan Ferguson going forward, with Purkis failing to convert from a narrow-angle in the 71st minute.

Source: BBC