Cliftonville moved back to the top of the table after a big night of Danske Bank Premiership action that also produced victories for Glenavon and Coleraine.

And in the Lough 41 Championship HW Welders continued their recent resurgence while, in the Premier Intermediate League, there was three points apiece for Dollingstown and Moyola Park.

Cliftonville hosted Linfield in a game which pitted two of the top three together and, whatever the outcome, a place at the summit awaited either the Blues or Reds.

As it turned out Ronan Doherty, on his 27th birthday, grabbed the only goal of the game after just 12 minutes when he ran onto Ronan Hale’s perfectly weighted pass to fire past Chris Johns into the far corner.

Glenavon defeated fourth placed Crusaders 4-2 at Mourneview Park.

Peter Campbell edged the Lurgan Blues in front with nine minutes of the first half remaining with Matthew Fitzpatrick doubling up not long after that.

Philip Lowry pulled one back for the Crues not long after the break, but Campbell added his second moments later. Billy Joe Burns reduced the deficit again with 20 minutes to go but a Jarlath O’Rourke own goal in the final few minutes settled the game in favour of Gary Hamilton’s side.

Goals from Josh Carson and Michael McCrudden saw Coleraine win 2-1 away to Newry City.

Carson opened the scoring on 34 minutes with a curling left-foot effort from the edge of the area, with McCrudden adding a second an hour later.

Daniel Hughes pulled one back from the spot for Darren Mullen’s side with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining to set up a nervy finish but the Bannsiders held on.

In the Championship the Welders made it four wins on the bounce with a 3-1 defeat of Ballinamallard United at the Blanchflower Stadium.

Goals either side of the half-hour mark from Jonny Frazer and Stephen Garrett put Paul Kee’s side firmly in the driving seat, with Matthew Ferguson then adding a second moments after the interval before Steven Drumm bagged a consolation for the Mallards.

Meanwhile, in the Premier Intermediate League, second half goals from Mark Edgar and Mark Kelly saw Moyola Park come from behind to defeat Banbridge Town at Mill Meadow while Dollingstown hit four goals without reply past Lisburn Distillery at Planter’s Park.