The big weekend of Sports Direct Premiership action continued on Saturday afternoon with victories for Coleraine, Larne and Loughgall.

Matthew Shevlin bagged a hat-trick as the Bannsiders swept past Dungannon Swifts at The Showgrounds.

The on form striker opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a close range finish at the far post, but the Swifts hit back just a couple of minutes after the break through James Knowles’ header from a Leo Alves free-kick.

Coleraine regained the lead just past the hour after Danny Wallace turned the ball into his own net whilst attempting to clear Lyndon Kane’s cross from the right, with Shevlin knocking home his second of the game not long after that with a low finish into the bottom corner.

And he struck again on 69 minutes to complete the scoring and claim his hat-trick with a successfully converted spot-kick awarded after Rhyss Campbell had been brought down in the box.

Defending champions Larne returning to winning ways with a 2-0 defeat of Glentoran at the BetMcLean Oval.

Larne edged in front on 21 minutes when Andy Ryan knocked home a penalty after Jordan McEneff had been impeded in the area by Fuad Sule.

The Glens had a chance to level from the spot later in the first half when Rohan Ferguson had brought down by Jay Donnelly but Finlay Thorndike could only fire over.

The visitors doubled their lead on 69 minutes when Cian Bolger was on hand to knock home the loose ball after Sean Graham’s corner came back across the face of goal.

Both sides ended the game with ten men when James Singleton and Dylan Sloan were dismissed following a tussle in the middle of the pitch.

Loughgall made it two wins on the bounce with a three-goal victory over Glenavon at Lakeview Park.

The Villagers went in at the break two goals to the good. Jordan Gibson broke the deadlock on 35 minutes with a superb strike into the top corner before, just four minutes after that, Nathaniel Ferris doubled up with a near post header into the roof of the net from Jamie Rea’s cross into the area.

That was how it stayed until deep into added time at the end of the game when Rea wrapped the scoring up with a wonderful finish from outside the box.

On Friday evening Cliftonville won the north Belfast derby with victory over Crusaders at Solitude thanks to Joe Gormley's finish late in the first half.

The veteran striker found the net six minutes from the break with a calm finish past Jonny Tuffey after Shea Kearney and Aaron Pettifer had combined for the later to thread through the decisive pass.

Meanwhile, at The Showgrounds, three goals late in the closing minutes saw Portadown sweep past Ballymena United.

Scoreless for 79 minutes, Josh Carson came closest to breaking the deadlock with a curling free-kick that was only kept out by the crossbar.

Play immediately switched down the other end for Josh Ukek to fire the visitors in front on the counter attack after he burst into the box to slot past Sean O'Neill.

Then, three minutes after that, Ryan Mayse doubled up in similar circumstances with a strong finish against his former club.

And Mayse was involved in Portadown's third four minutes later with a run down the right before crossing for Eamon Fyfe to make no mistake from close range.

The weekend action continues on Sunday when Carrick Rangers welcome leaders Linfield to Taylors Avenue, kick-off 12.30pm.