It simply poured goals throughout the Sports Direct Premiership in the penultimate round of games before the split.

Leading duo Larne and Linfield both hit six goals at home to Glenavon and Newry City respectively, while Cliftonville and Glentoran both knocked in three each on the road.

Larne got off to a stunning start in Glenavon’s visit to Inver Park, racing into a five-goal lead inside the opening 25 minutes!

Lee Bonis opened the scoring on 12 minutes after running onto a loose ball to lob over keeper Mark Byrne. He doubled up just three minutes after that, before Andy Ryan hit a third moments later.

Bonis then claimed his hat-trick goal on 23 minutes, with Ryan bagging his brace too before anyone could catch a breath! Len O’Sullivan did knock in a consolation for the visitors before the break, but Bonis struck with his fourth of the afternoon on 78 minutes – all in a game that also saw both sides finish with ten men!

Not to be undone, Linfield also hit six at Windsor Park, and kept a clean sheet to boot!

Matthew Fitzpatrick broke the deadlock on 14 minutes with a close range finish, with Kyle McClean adding a second after half-an-hour.

McClean struck again on 42 minutes, just moments after Kirk Millar had converted from the spot. Jamie Mulgrew and 16-year-old Braiden Graham then completed the scoring midway through the second half.

There were five goals at Lakeview Park, as third placed Cliftonville edged past Loughgall.
The sides went in at the break on level terms after Nathaniel Ferris had cancelled out Sam Ashford’s opener midway through the first half.

Ronan Hale fired the Reds back in front just after the hour with a neat finish past Berraat Turker, and when Shea Kearney extended the visitors’ advantage late in the game it looked like ending up a comfortable afternoon for Jim Magilton’s side … until Ferris hit his second in stoppage time, but that ultimately proved to be too little too late for the Villagers.

And it was a winning start for new interim Glentoran boss Declan Devine after his side hit three without reply past Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.
Shay McCartan edged the Glens in front on 17 minutes from the spot, with Junior doubling up just after the half-hour mark.

The visitors also hit the woodwork on a number of occasions before Niall McGinn made sure of the win on the hour with a close range finish into the bottom corner.

Carrick Rangers also won on the road, hitting two unanswered goals past struggling Ballymena United at The Showgrounds.

James Teelan opened the scoring on 28 minutes with a stunning volley into the top corner, with Nedas Maciulaitis hitting Carrick’s second in the closing moments.

Meanwhile, it was a tale of two penalties as Crusaders and Coleraine shared the spoils at Seaview.

Josh Carson nudged the Bannsiders in front on 29 minutes, but Jordan Forsythe hit back for the Crues midway through the second half.